EC Withholds Akola West Assembly Bypoll in Maharashtra After HC Order

New Delhi: The Election Commission (EC) decided on Wednesday to withhold the bypoll to the Akola West Assembly seat in Maharashtra, a day after the Bombay High Court said the by-election will not be held as the new member will get less than a year to represent the constituency. The gazette notification to commence the nomination process was to be issued on Thursday and the bypoll was to be held on April 26. 

In a statement, the EC said following the direction of the high court's Nagpur bench, it has decided to "withhold the notification" for the bypoll to the Akola West Assembly seat.

A bench of justices Anil Killor and M S Jawalkar declared on Tuesday that there shall be no bypoll in the Assembly seat, which fell vacant after the incumbent MLA died late last year, as the new member will get less than a year to represent the constituency.

The seat fell vacant after incumbent MLA Govardhan Sharma of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) died on November 3, 2023.