Election Commission announces bypolls to parliamentary, assembly seats

The Election Commission (EC) has announced the schedule for by-elections to various parliamentary and Assembly seats across seven states. Voting will be held on 19 November for all the seats.

The by-elections are to be held for four parliamentary seats — Lakhimpur (Assam), Shahdol (Madhya Pradesh), Coochbehar (West Bengal) and Tamluk (West Bengal). The Assembly seats going for by-polls are Baithalangso (Scheduled Tribes) in Assam, Hayuliang (ST) in Arunachal Pradesh, Nepanagar (ST) in Madhya Pradesh, Monteswar in West Bengal, Thiruparankundram in Tamil Nadu, Barjala and Khowai in Tripura and Nellithope in Puducherry.

The last date for filing nominations for all bypolls is 2 November and the scrutiny will be done on 3 November. The last date for withdrawing nominations is 5 November. The voting will be held on 19 November and the votes would be counted on 22 November, the EC said.

Besides, elections to the Assembly constituencies of Aravakurichi and Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu, which were earlier rescinded by the poll panel, will also be held according to the same schedule, the EC said.

“The Model Code of Conduct shall come into force with immediate effect in the districts in which the whole or any part of the parliamentary or assembly constituency for bye-elections is included,” Deputy Election Commissioner Umesh Sinha said.