EC announces by-polls to parliamentary, assembly seats

By-elections will be held in four parliamentary and 10 assembly seats across seven states on November 19, the Election Commission announced on Monday.

The four Lok Sabha constituencies which will see balloting are Lakhimpur (Assam), Shahdol (Madhya Pradesh) and Coochbehar and Tamluk (West Bengal).

The Lakhimpur seat was vacated by Sarbananda Sonowal after he became the Assam Chief Minister. The Tamluk seat was vacated by Suvendu Adhikari after he was inducted into the West Bengal cabinet in May.

The Shahdol seat fell vacant when BJP MP Dalpat Singh Paraste passed away in June while the Coochbehar seat fell vacant after Trinamool Congress leader Renuka Sinha died in August.

The assembly seats are Baithalangso (ST) 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 is November 2 and the scrutiny will be done on November 3. Nominations can be withdrawn till November 5. The

votes will be counted on November 22.

Elections to the assembly constituencies of Aravakurichi and Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu, deferred twice by the poll panel, would also be held according to the same schedule, the Election Commission 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.

"The Model Code of Conduct shall be applicable to all candidates, political parties and the state governments. It shall also be applicable to the Union government for the states concerned," Sinha added.

--IANS

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