New Delhi , May 5 : The Election Commission of India (ECI) has decided to defer the bye -elections in Rajabala and Mawryngkneng assembly constituencies in wake of the Covid -19 pandemic prevailing in the country .
A press notification issued by the ECI said , ” ECI decides to defer bye-elections of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies in various States/UT in view of Pandemic.”
There are notified three vacancies in Parliamentary Constituencies namely Dadra & Nagar Haveli, 28-Khandwa (Madhya Pradesh) & 2-Mandi (Himachal Pradesh) and eight vacancies in Assembly Constituencies namely 01-Kalka and 46-Ellenabad in Haryana, 155-Vallabhnagar in Rajasthan, 33-Sindgi in Karnataka, 47-Rajabala and 13-Mawryngkneng (ST) in Meghalaya, 08-Fatehpur in Himachal Pradesh and 124-Badvel (SC) in Andhra Pradesh.
There are few more vacancies of seats for which reports and notifications are awaited and being confirmed.
As per the provisions of section 151A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the vacancies are required to be filled, through bye-elections within six months from the date of occurrence of vacancy, provided that the remainder of the term in relation to the vacancy is one year or more.
The Commission has reviewed the matter today and has decided that due to outbreak of the second wave of COVID-19 in the country it would not be appropriate to hold bye-elections till the pandemic situation significantly improves and conditions become conducive to hold these bye-elections.
The Commission will take a decision in the matter at appropriate time in the future after taking inputs from the concerned states and assessing the pandemic situation from mandated authorities like NDMA/SDMA.
