Election Commission has deferred counting of votes in the coming Tiruchirappalli (West) bye-election to October 20 in view of the two-phased civic polls in the state.

The counting was originally slated for October 17, the day when the first phase of local body elections is to be held.

The decision to defer the counting was taken following requests from certain political parties, Tamil Nadu chief electoral officer Praveen Kumar said.

Voting in the constituency, where stakes are high for the ruling AIADMK and the opposition DMK, will take place on October 13.

DMK and PMK among others have demanded deferring of the counting, saying the bypoll outcome could have a bearing on the voting pattern for local bodies.

The parties have insisted that counting of votes in this key consituency should not be taken up before October 19, the final phase of the civic polls.

AIADMK's M Paranjothi and DMK's jailed former minister K N Nehru are the main contestants in the bypoll necessitated by the death of AIADMK minister Mariam Pichai in a road accident.