The Election Commission on Monday postponed by-election in the Palakkad Assembly constituency from November 13 to November 20, considering the clash with Kalpathy Ratholsavam, a yearly celebration at the Sree Viswanatha Swamy Temple in Kalpathy.

This year the Ratholsavam takes place November 13-15. However, the byelections in the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency and the Chelakkara Assembly constituency will be held as per schedule on November 13. The counting of the votes will be held on November 23.

The demand for postponing the bye-election date was proposed by all the parties including Congress, CPI-M and the BJP immediately after the polling date was announced.

The Congress has fielded Youth Congress state president Rahul Mamkootathil, while CPI-M has nominated Sarin P as LDF independent candidate in Palakkad. The BJP has nominated the party’s state general secretary C Krishnakumar as its candidate in the bypoll. Sarin was a former congress leader who served as the convenor of the digital media cell for the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC).

The by-elections in Assembly constituencies in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh have also been postponed from November 13 to November 20 to accommodate various festive events.