The Election Commission of India on Monday announced that assembly bypolls across eight constituencies in seven states will be held on November 11. The counting of votes is scheduled for November 14, EC said. The bypolls will be held in Jammu and Kashmir, Odisha, Jharkhand, Mizoram, Punjab, Telangana and Rajasthan. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar announced the poll schedule at a press conference earlier today.
Why were bypolls necessitated?
In Jammu and Kashmir, two assembly seats — Budgam and Nagrota — will go to the polls. Budgam fell vacant in October 2024 after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah chose to retain the Ganderbal seat. Nagrota was vacated following the death of MLA Devender Singh Rana on October 31, 2024.
In Rajasthan, the Anta bypoll was necessitated after BJP MLA Kanwarlal was disqualified in May this year following a conviction in a gun threat case. The Jubilee Hills seat in Telangana fell vacant after BRS MLA Maganti Gopinath died of a heart attack in June, while Mizoram’s Dampa constituency requires a bypoll after MNF legislator Lalrintluanga Sailo passed away on July 21.
In Odisha, the Nuapada bypoll will fill the seat left vacant after the death of BJD MLA Rajendra Dholakia on September 8. Jharkhand’s Ghatsila will also go to polls following the death of JMM MLA Ramdas Soren, while Punjab’s Tarn Taran seat fell vacant after the death of MLA Kashmir Singh Sohal.
Bihar Election 2025 dates
The EC also announced that polling for 243 seats in the Bihar Assembly election will take place in two phases on November 6 and 11. The results for Bihar polls will be declared on November 14.