Current affairs · October 2026

Madurantakam and Dharapuram bye-elections: schedule and exit poll curbs

6 Oct 2026 · By the PrepMatic team · 2 min read

Voting for the bye-elections to the Tamil Nadu Assembly seats of 35 Madurantakam (SC) and 101 Dharapuram (SC) was scheduled for 6 October 2026, from 7 am to 6 pm. Counting of votes was scheduled for 9 October. The vacancies arose from resignations of the sitting members.

Schedule from the Election Commission

The Election Commission announced the schedule on 7 September 2026 for five Assembly seats in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and West Bengal and one Lok Sabha seat in Assam. Madurantakam is in Chengalpattu district and Dharapuram in Tiruppur district.

Exit poll and opinion poll curbs

Tamil Nadu's Chief Electoral Officer set out the Commission's restrictions. Under Section 126A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, conducting or publishing exit polls was prohibited from 7 am to 6.30 pm on 6 October. Under Section 126(1)(b), displaying election matter, including opinion poll results, in electronic media was prohibited during the 48 hours ending with the close of the poll. A violation of Section 126A is punishable with up to two years' imprisonment, a fine, or both.

Why it matters for TNPSC

Elections and the Election Commission belong to Unit IV, Indian Polity. Remember that "(SC)" means the seat is reserved for Scheduled Castes, and that the Election Commission's powers come from Article 324. Under Section 151A of the 1951 Act, a vacancy must normally be filled within six months. The Indian Polity guide covers the electoral system.

Practice questions

Question 1. Which section of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 restricts the publication of exit poll results?

• A. Section 8
• B. Section 62
• C. Section 126A
• D. Section 151A

Question 2. Madurantakam and Dharapuram are Assembly constituencies reserved for which category?

• A. Scheduled Tribes
• B. Scheduled Castes
• C. Women
• D. Backward Classes

Answers

1. C. Section 126A bars exit polls during the period the Commission notifies. Section 151A deals with the time limit for bye-elections.
2. B. The "(SC)" tag in both names marks reserved seats for Scheduled Castes.

Source

• Government of Tamil Nadu, Press Release No. 672, 15 September 2026
• PIB, Election Commission: schedule for bye-elections, 7 September 2026

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