EC announces bypolls for 1 Lok Sabha and 5 Assembly seats; check dates

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission on Monday announced bypolls for five Assembly constituencies and one Lok Sabha seat, with polling scheduled for October 6 and counting of votes on October 9.The Assembly constituencies going to polls are Nandigram and Rejinagar in West Bengal, Dharapuram and Madurantakam in Tamil Nadu, and Thattanchavady in Puducherry. The Nagaon Lok Sabha constituency in Assam will also see a bypoll.

Nandigram among key contests

The Nandigram Assembly seat was vacated by West Bengal CM and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, who had won the constituency in the 2026 Assembly election. He retained the Bhabanipur seat, from where he defeated Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee.The Rejinagar seat fell vacant after its MLA Humayun Kabir resigned from the constituency. In Assam, the Nagaon Lok Sabha seat was vacated after Pradyut Bordoloi resigned before the Assembly election and subsequently joined the BJP, according to reports.

EVMs, VVPATs to be used

The EC said EVMs and VVPATs will be used at all polling stations for the bypolls. It said adequate numbers of machines have been made available and necessary measures have been taken to ensure smooth conduct of polling.The ECI statement reads, “The Model Code of Conduct shall come into force with immediate effect in the district(s) in which the whole or any part of the Assembly constituency going for election is included, subject to provision of the instruction vide Commission’s letter No. dated 2nd January, 2024.”