Thirty-two candidates are in the fray after scrutiny for the June 27 by-election for the Radhakrishnan Nagar constituency, from where Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa is contesting.
Fifty candidates filed their nominations, including Jayalaliathaa, CPI candidate C Mahendran and social activist 'Traffic' Ramaswami, as the process ended yesterday.
"The nominations were taken up for scrutiny today and out of the 50 candidates' nominations, 18 have been rejected and 32 candidates' nomination have been accepted ", the State Election Commission said today.
Besides Jayalalithaa, Mahendran, Indian National League, leader T Abdul Rahim, People's Party of India (Secular) leader R Abraham Raja Mohan, Tamil Maanila Katchi's R C Paul Kanagaraj, Makkal Manadu Katchi leader T Paulraj and Tamil Maanila Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's U K Manimaran are contesting along with 24 independents.
The nomination of N Ramaswami, popularly known as 'Traffic' Ramaswamy, contesting as an independent, was also accepted.
The last date for withdrawal of candidature is June 13.
Polling is on June 27 and counting will be taken up on June 30.
The election is expected to be a cakewalk for 67-year-old Jayalalithaa, who is seeking to represent a city seat for first the time in her political career.
All major opposition parties - DMK, BJP, Congress, MDMK and PMK have announced boycott of the bypoll, alleging that the ruling party would use money power.
The bypoll was necessitated due to resignation of AIADMK's P Vetrivel as MLA on May 17, paving the way for his party chief to seek election.
Following Karnataka High Court's acquittal of the AIADMK supremo in the disproportionate assets case that threatened to derail her political career, Jayalalithaa returned as Chief Minister on May 23.
She was earlier disqualified as MLA of Srirangam on being convicted in the assets case by a Bengaluru trial court in September 2014.
Jayalalithaa was subsequently acquitted of all charges by the High Court on May 11, allowing her return as CM for the fifth time.
