General and mid-term election

(1) Any general or mid-term election to the Council shall be conducted by the Returning Officer appointed by the Tamil Nadu State Election Commission in accordance with the rules. (2) Unless the Tamil Nadu State Election Commission otherwise directs, no casual vacancy of a councillor or Chairperson shall be filled in cases where the general election for the councillor or Chairperson under sub-section (1) is due within six months. (3) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act but subject to the provisions of sub-section (2), the Tamil Nadu State Election Commission may for any valid reason direct the postponement or alteration of the date of general or mid-term election or may stop the proceedings of any election. (4) A councillor or Chairperson elected at a mid-term election shall enter upon office forthwith but shall hold office so long only as the councillor or Chairperson in whose place he is elected would have been entitled to hold office if the vacancy had not occurred.