The Election Commission on Monday announced the schedule for assembly by-election in 13 seats in Bihar, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Uttrakhand, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh.
The assembly bye-election in Bihar’s Rupauli, West Bengals’s Raiganj, Ranaghat Dakshin, Bagda and Maniktala, Tamil Nadu’s Vikravandi, Madhya Pradesh’s Amarwara, Uttrakhand’s Badrinath and Manglaur, Punjab’s Jalandhar West and Himachal Pradesh’s Hamirpur and Nalagarh were necessitated following resignation and death of the members.
According to a communiqué issued by the EC, polling in these 13 Assembly constituencies in seven states will be held on 10th July.
The notification for the poll would be issued on 14th June. The last date of filing of nomination is 21st June and the date of scrutiny is 24th June, it said.
The last date for withdrawal of candidature is 26th June. The counting of votes will take place on 13th July. The date before which the election shall be completed is 15th July.
The EC said the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) 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.
The poll panel said it has decided to use Electronic Voting Machines and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail in the bye-election in all the polling stations.
Adequate numbers have been made available and all steps have been taken to ensure that the poll is conducted smoothly with the help of these machines, it said.
The ECI further said Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC) shall be the main document of identification of a voter. However, any documents including, Aadhar Card, MGNREGA job card, driving license, PAN card and Indian passport can also be shown at the polling station.