Two-phase polling plan
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Kumar said five constituencies in Goa, Karnataka, Nagaland and Tripura will go to the polls on April 9. The remaining three seats — one in Gujarat and two in Maharashtra — will vote on April 23.
The constituencies where by-elections will be held are Ponda (Goa), Bagalkot and Davanagere South (Karnataka), Koridang (Nagaland), Dharmanagar (Tripura), Umreth (Gujarat), and Baramati and Rahuri (Maharashtra).
Reason for the by-elections
The ECI said the bypolls were necessitated due to the deaths of sitting MLAs in all eight constituencies.
In Maharashtra, the Baramati seat in Pune fell vacant after the death of then deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash on January 28. The Rahuri seat in Ahilyanagar became vacant following the death of Shivaji Kardile due to cardiac arrest last year.
Also Read: ECI announces Assembly poll dates for Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry, counting on May 4
Fadnavis calls for consensus in Maharashtra
Before the poll schedule was formally announced, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said efforts would be made to hold the Baramati and Rahuri bypolls unopposed through consensus.
“All attempts would be to arrive at a unanimous decision so that elections are held unopposed. However, if an election is imposed on us, we are prepared for a contest as well,” he said, according to PTI.
Karnataka bypolls likely to see a keen contest
In Karnataka, the Davanagere South and Bagalkot constituencies will vote on April 9. PTI reported that the vacancies arose after the deaths of senior leaders Shamanur Shivashankarappa and H Y Meti, both from the Indian National Congress.
Both leaders had won their seats in the 2023 assembly elections. With the bypolls now scheduled, the ruling Congress is expected to make strong efforts to retain the constituencies, while opposition parties prepare to mount a challenge.
Counting on May 4
The ECI confirmed that counting of votes for all eight constituencies will be conducted on May 4. The poll panel said the elections are being held in accordance with the provisions of the Representation of the People Act.
The by-elections are expected to test the organisational strength of major parties in the respective states ahead of future electoral contests.
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