Chief Election Commissioner Dr Nasim Zaidi accompanied by election commissioners AK Joti and Om Prakash Rawat are likely to visit Tamil Nadu by January 10 to assess the extent of flood damage in the state first hand. They will also hold talks with the state police and administration on the preparations to hold the Tamil Nadu assembly elections in 2016.

Tamil Nadu may be given a special consideration in the aftermath of the devastating floods last month. The EC may decide to waive off the model code of conduct provisions, like it did during the Jammu and Kashmir elections.

If this special provision is invoked, it will be a major victory for the state govt apparatus which is already knee-deep in flood relief work. But the EC can only waive off the code of conduct if political parties make representations to it.

So, it all depends on the outcome of the EC's visit to the state where it will undertake a spot assessment - a routine drill by the Election Commission - so that they are updated about problems arising due to the floods. 

There have been many complaints from the people in the state that Voter ID cards were either lost or damaged in the floods.

For a state that has lost at least 350 precious lives and incurred a loss of at least Rs 15,000 crore, it will take more than an election or a new head of state to get it back on its feet.