The Election Commission is understood to have decided to go ahead with the June 26 assembly by-election in Madurai West constituency in Tamil Nadu and not to postpone it, a possibility it had considered earlier.
The Commission is believed to have come to this decision after discussions on Friday with state chief electoral officer Naresh Gupta, who was told that the poll panel would be keeping a close watch on the situation.
Commission sources said that it was keeping options open though the chances of postponement have receded. In the last few days, things have improved but still the Commission was not happy with the improvement, the sources said.
The EC’s decision came amidst reports that Chief Minister M Karunanidhi had threatened to go on a fast. The Commission had earlier considered deferring the polling by a week following allegations of malpractices in the run up to the by-election.