Nellithoppe by-poll, 7th in Puducherry history

The first by-poll was in 1972 for Ariyankuppam Assembly constituency. In the Assembly election held in 1972, Congress candidate Perumal won the election by a margin of 16 votes. Later one Purushothama Reddiyar moved the Madras High Court against the victory of Perumal. The court then directed a by-election for Ariyankuppam. In the by-poll, Purushothama Reddiyar, defeated Pandurangan of AIADMK. 

Following the assassination of sitting member P Uthiravelu of the Janata party in 1987, a by-poll was held for Bahour Assembly constituency in 1987 when 86.72 percent of the 10,483 voters cast their votes to help Rajalingam of the Congress to defeat P Rajavelu of Janata Party. The third by-election was held for Ossudu constituency when the then Deputy Speaker Nagalingam died in 1998. 75.09 percent of the nineteen thousand and fifty voters exercised their franchise to ensure the victory of Ezhumali (TMC) against Govindammal (AIADMK). The fourth by-election was held for Bussy Constituency following the death of Minister C M Achraff in 1999. DMK Candidate Anibal Kennedy won the election by defeating Anbazhagan of AIADMK when 52.28 percent of the 9,526 voters had exercised their franchise.

Yanam Legislator Malladi Krishna Rao resigned his post in 2000 paving way for the fifth by-election to enable Chief minister P Shanmugham to contest and become a member of the Territorial Assembly. 78.48 percent of the 17,588 voters exercised their franchise in the election .The sixth by-poll was held at Indira Nagar Assembly constituency in 2011 when the then Chief Minister N Rangasamy resigned the seat as he had won both Kadirgamam and Indira Nagar he had contested. 83.47 percent of the twenty nine thousand and five voters exercised their franchise when N R Congress Candidate Tamizhselvan defeated A K D Arumugham of the Congress. 

Now, Nellithoppe is facing the seventh by-poll, following resignation of sitting Congress member John Kumar to enable Chief Minister V Narayanasamy to become a member of the territorial assembly.