NEW DELHI: The Election Commission of India on Sunday announced the schedule for holding Assembly bypolls to fill vacancies from two segments in Gujarat and one each in Kerala, Punjab and West Bengal. Voting for the same will take place on June 19 and counting on June 23.
In Gujarat, the bypoll to the Kadi seat was necessitated following the death of sitting MLA Karsanbhai Punjabhai Solanki. Another bypoll to the Visavadar seat in the state is taking place due to the resignation of sitting member Bhayani Bhupendrabhai. The byelection to the Visavadar seat is likely to be a triangular contest, with the AAP already announcing its candidate and Congress stating that it would go solo in the bypoll.
In Kerala, the byelection will be held in Nilambur to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of PV Anvar, an LDF-backed MLA, in January this year. He was appointed convenor of the Kerala unit of the Trinamool Congress (TMC). The ruling Left Democratic Front and Opposition UDF in Kerala are working overtime to fix their candidates for the seat.
Further, in Punjab, the byelection will be held in Ludhiana West as the seat fell vacant because of the demise of Gurpreet Bassi Gogi. Likewise, the byelection to the Kaliganj Assembly seat in West Bengal has been necessitated due to the death of sitting Assembly member Nasiruddin Ahamed. He died of a cardiac arrest in February this year.
Earlier, on May 23, in line with various initiatives aimed at enhancing voter initiative and streamlining poll day arrangements, the ECI had issued two more comprehensive instructions for providing mobile deposit facilities for voters outside the polling stations and rationalising norms for canvassing, according to an official statement.
The instructions are in line with the relevant provisions of the Representation of the People Act of 1951 and the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961.
Further, in a move aimed at improving facilities on the polling day, the ECI has also rationalised the permissible norms for canvassing in line with the electoral laws to 100 metres from the entrance of the polling station. The booths set up by the candidates on poll day for issuing unofficial identity slips to voters not carrying the official ones can now be set up just beyond 100 metres of any polling station.
Bengal poll fight
The byelection to the Kaliganj Assembly seat in West Bengal has been necessitated due to the death of sitting Assembly member Nasiruddin Ahamed.
A triangular contest
The bypoll to the Visavadar seat in Gujarat is taking place due to the resignation of sitting member Bhayani Bhupendrabhai. The byelection to the seat is likely to be a triangular contest, with AAP announcing its candidate and Congress stating it would go solo.