- By Nidhi Giri
- Mon, 04 Nov 2024 02:35 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday rescheduled by-polls in Assembly Constituencies in three states of Kerala, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh from November 13 to November 20. The decision comes after requests from national and state parties, including INC, BJP, BSP, and RLD, to avoid low voter turnout. National and state parties had requested the EC to shift the dates in these states due to various festivities. However, the results will be declared on the scheduled date that is November 23 along with the results of assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand.
“Representations have been received in the Commission from various recognised national and state political parties (including BJP, INC, BSP, RLD) and some social organisations for change of date for poll in some Assembly constituencies having by-elections on 13th November, 2024, considering large scale social, cultural and religious engagements on that day which may cause inconvenience to large number of people, give rise to various logistic issues and may lead to reduced voters participating during the poll,” the poll panel said.
Uttar Pradesh bypolls
The voting for nine assembly seats in the Uttar Pradesh bypoll was scheduled on November 13, but now it will take place on November 20. The polling was necessitated in eight of these seats after their representatives were elected to the Lok Sabha. The Sisamau seat fell vacant after the disqualification of Samajwadi Party MLA Irfan Solanki, who was convicted in a criminal case.
Notably, the election body is yet to announce the bypoll for Milkipur (Ayodhya) due to a court case.
Punjab bypolls 2024
Bypolls to four Punjab assembly seats -- Gidderbaha, Dera Baba Nanak, Chabbewal and Barnala -- were scheduled on November 13 but now it will be conducted on November 20.
Meanwile, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday exuded confidence that AAP would win the bypoll in the Dera Baba Nanak assembly segment. Addressing a public meeting at Kalanaur in support of AAP candidate Gurdeep Singh Randhawa, the chief minister said, "The 'jhadoo' (AAP's election symbol) will sweep Dera Baba Nanak this time."
The bypolls were necessitated after the MLAs representing these seats were elected to the Lok Sabha. AAP has fielded Gurdeep Singh Randhawa from Dera Baba Nanak, where he is pitted against the Congress' Jatinder Kaur and BJP candidate Ravikaran Singh Kahlon.
The Dera Baba Nanak seat fell vacant after Congress MLA Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa was elected to the Lok Sabha from Gurdaspur. Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa won the assembly elections from the seat in 2002, 2012, 2017 and 2022.
As per Congress, a significant portion of the electorate in the 56-Palakkad AC in Kerala will be engaged in the "Kalpathi Rastholsavam" festival to be celebrated from November 13-15, 2024.
Notably, the Commission had rescheduled the polling dates in past elections for the convenience of voters and to enhance their participation.