Election Commission announces by-poll dates for 5 states to 6 RS seats; polling on Oct 4

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday announced dates for various by-elections in several states. According to the ECI, by-elections to six casual vacancies in the Council of States will be held starting October 4. Voting will be held between 9 AM to 5 PM and the counting of votes will be held the same day starting from 5 PM. 

Five states with six casual vacancies are going to polls namely- West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. Among these, there are two vacancies in Tamil Nadu after AIADMK's KP Munuswamy and Vaithiyalingam resigned as members of the State Assembly. The other states, have one vacancy each.

West Bengal is going to polls for the Rajya Sabha seat left vacant by Manas Ranjan Bhunia. The leader had resigned as the Rajya Sabha MP in May. Maharashtra is going to by-polls for the seat of Rajeev Shankarrao Satav who passed away on May 16, after contracting COVID-19. Madhya Pradesh is polling on the seat of Thaawarchand Gehlot who resigned and took oath as the 19th Governor of Karnataka in July. Assam is holding elections for the seat of Biswajit Daimary.

According to the EC notification, candidates are expected to submit their nominations by September 22 at the latest. The scrutiny of the nominations will take place on September 23 after which candidates can withdraw their nominations last by September 27. Polling will be held on October 4. Elections to all six councils will be finished before October 6, as per the Election Commission.

Apart from these, the crucial seat of Bhabanipur is also expected to go to by-polls on September 30. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is a contender for the polls as she looks to save her CM berth after losing from Nandigram to BJP's Suvendu Adhikari in the West Bengal Assembly Elections.