EC agrees to parties’ pleas, postpones bypolls for 14 Assembly seats to Nov. 20

The Election Commission cited representations received from various political parties, who sought the byelections be rescheduled “considering large scale social, cultural and religious engagements”.

The Election Commission of India on Monday (November 4, 2024) rescheduled byelections to 14 Assembly constituencies in Kerala, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh from November 13 to November 20.

An ECI statement said the 14 seats included nine seats in Uttar Pradesh, four in Punjab and one in Kerala.

The Commission on October 15 scheduled the byelections to Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency and 47 Assembly constituencies for November 13, to be held along with the phase one of Jharkhand Assembly polls.

Also Read | Palakkad bypoll in Kerala put off to November 20

It scheduled the byelections to the Nanded Lok Sabha constituency and Kedarnath Assembly segment for November 20, to be held along with Maharashtra Assembly polls and the phase two of Jharkhand Assembly polls. There is no change in this schedule.

“...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 of poll in some Assembly Constituencies having bye 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 participation during the poll,” the ECI said in a statement.

ECI sources said the Congress had submitted that a significant portion of the electorate in the Palakkad Assembly segment in Kerala would be engaged in the ‘Kalpathi Rastholsavam’ festival to be celebrated from November 13 to 15.

According to the BJP, BSP and RLD, in Uttar Pradesh, people travel three-four days ahead to celebrate Kartik Purnima. As per a request from the Congress, in Punjab, the 555th Prakash Parv of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji is to be celebrated on November 15 and a Akhand Path is to be organised from November 13, the sources said.

The four Punjab Assembly seats going to bypolls are Dera Baba Nanak, Chabbewal, Gidderbaha and Barnala. In U.P., the byelections are held to Meerapur, Kundarki, Ghaziabad, Khair, Karhal, Sishamau, Phulpur, Katehari and Majhawan constituencies.

The date of counting for all the byelections remains unchanged on November 23.

Published - November 04, 2024 03:23 pm IST