By-elections to eight assembly constituencies spread across six states and one union territory are scheduled to be held on November 11.
These constituencies are Budgam and Nagrota in Jammu and Kashmir, Anta in Rajasthan, Ghatsila in Jharkhand, Jubilee Hills in Telangana, Tarn Taran in Punjab, Dampa in Mizoram and Nuapada in Odisha.
The counting of votes is scheduled to take place on November 14 along with the Bihar Assembly elections.
Jammu and Kashmir
Voting will be held in Budgam for the by-election after the resignation of Omar Abdullah from the constituency. Abdullah decided to retain Ganderbal constituency and vacate Budgam after winning both the seats in the 2024 assembly elections.
The number of polling stations in Budgam assembly constituency is 173 and in Nagrota assembly constituency is 150.
National Conference has fielded Agha Mehmood, PDP has fielded Agha Syed Muntajir and BJP has fielded Syed Mohsin on this seat.
A total of 20 candidates are contesting the by-election in Budgam.
In Jammu region’s Nagrota seat, National Conference’s Shamim Begum, a sitting District Development Council (DDC) member, is in the fray against BJP’s Devyani Rana and Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party president Harsh Dev Singh. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had earlier said that the by-election in Nagrota would decide the constituency’s relationship with the government. Addressing a rally to appeal for National Conference (NC) candidate Shamim Begum, he said the bypolls will not affect the overall outcome of the assembly elections but will decide the future of Nagrota.
BJP has won the Nagrota assembly seat three times – in 2002, 2008 and 2024. National Conference won it twice, in 1996 and 2014.
Harsh Dev Singh has been a three-time MLA from Ramnagar and won the seat in 1996, 2002 and 2008, and lost from the same constituency in 2014 and lost from Chenani in 2024. The Congress candidate has withdrawn his nomination in favor of Begum.
A total of 13 candidates are contesting the by-election for the seat that fell vacant after the death of BJP MLA Devendra Singh Rana last year. Rana died within a fortnight of taking oath.
Rajasthan
The by-election in Anta assembly constituency in Rajasthan’s Baran district was necessitated after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kanwar Lal Meena was disqualified following his conviction in a 2005 case.
He was accused of threatening a government official and was convicted in May this year. Congress has fielded two-time MLA and former minister Pramod Jain Bhaya for the Antah by-election, while BJP has announced the name of Morpal Suman.
Independent candidate Naresh Meena also came into limelight in November last year when he was arrested for slapping sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Amit Chaudhary in the then-poll-bound Deoli Uniara assembly constituency. Meena was contesting the election independently from the same constituency after being denied a ticket by the Congress.
Jharkhand
A total of 13 candidates will contest the elections in Ghatshila assembly constituency after the withdrawal of nomination of one candidate.
Jharkhand minister Ramdas Soren died in Delhi after treatment for injuries sustained in a fall in August. The by-election became necessary after the death of JMM MLA Ramdas Soren.
In the 2024 assembly elections, Ramdas Soren defeated Babulal Soren, who is the son of BJP MLA and former Chief Minister Champai Soren.
This time too, NDA has made Babulal Soren its candidate, while Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM) has made Ramdas Murmu its candidate.
Somesh Soren, son of late Ramdas Soren, is contesting the elections as a JMM candidate.
There is a possibility of a triangular contest in the Ghatshila assembly by-election.
Telangana
The Jubilee Hills by-election was caused by the death of sitting MLA and BRS leader Maganti Gopinath.
Congress Party has made V. Naveen Yadav, a leader coming from Backward Class (BC) as its candidate.
Gopinath’s widow Sunita has been selected for the post by BRS. BJP has chosen Lankala Deepak Reddy as its candidate.
Recently, Telangana BJP president N Ramachander Rao criticized the state Congress government for its decision to induct former Indian cricketer Mohammed Azharuddin as a minister in the cabinet just ahead of the Jubilee Hills by-election, calling it an act of appeasement and also a violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), a code of ethics.
The number of Muslim voters in this assembly constituency is high and the Congress government’s decision is being seen as a step to increase the party’s prospects among Muslim voters. Congress has no Muslim MLA in the current state assembly and no Muslim cabinet minister in the cabinet.
Punjab
This seat had become vacant after the death of sitting Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Kashmir Singh Sohal in June this year.
AAP has fielded Harmeet Singh Sandhu, who comes from Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and has been a three-time MLA.
Akali Dal has made Sukhwinder Kaur Randhawa its candidate.
BJP has fielded Tarn Taran district unit president Harjeet Singh Sandhu. Before joining BJP in 2022, Sandhu was in SAD.
For the Congress, its Tarn Taran district unit committee chief Karanbir Singh Burj will contest the by-election.
Earlier on Saturday, the Election Commission had given instructions to suspend SSP Ravjot Kaur Grewal for “interference in the assembly by-election”. The instructions were conveyed in a letter to the Chief Electoral Officer of Punjab.
Amritsar Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar has been given the additional charge of SSP, Tarn Taran.
The Election Commission also asked the Punjab government to submit a panel of three officers for further assignment.
Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sukbir Singh Badal welcomed the decision of the Election Commission.
“I welcome the decision of the Election Commission of India to suspend Dr. Ravjot Kaur Grewal, SSP, Tarn Taran, who was vitiating the election atmosphere in Tarn Taran by-election by working as a polling agent of @AamAadmiParty. She was resorting to filing false cases against Akali leaders and its workers and openly keeping them in illegal detention and intimidation. I also call for immediate action on the complaint filed by the election observer. Thank you @Akali_Dal_ for forcefully reporting the matter to ECI,” Badal said in a post on Twitter.
“A formal inquiry has been initiated against Ravjot Grewal for his criminal partisan conduct along with disciplinary action including dismissal from service,” he said.
Mizoram
According to the Election Commission, in Dampa constituency, there are 20,888 registered voters and 115 service voters, making a total of 21,003 voters eligible to vote.
The Congress has decided to go with John Rotluangliana, who is the state vice president and former minister. BJP has made Lalhamingthanga its candidate.
Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) has fielded Vanlalsailova.
MNF announced its vice-president and former minister R. Lalthangliyana has been nominated to contest the by-election.
There will be 40 polling stations for Dampa by-election, including 3 critical centers and 5 pink polling stations (managed by women staff).
According to the Election Commission, 57 voters are eligible for home voting (except for elderly or infirm voters). 5 PwD (Persons with Disabilities) voters are also registered for assistance. 10 polling officers will cast their vote through postal ballot.
Odisha
By-election in Nuapada had become necessary after the assembly seat became vacant following the death of BJD’s Rajendra Dholakia.
Biju Janata Dal (BJD) candidate for Nuapada Assembly by-election, Snehangini Chhuria, expressed confidence that people will repose their trust in her in the by-election.
He will face Jai Dholakia of Bharatiya Janata Party and Ghasiram Majhi of Congress.
Just a day before polling, BJD chief and former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday alleged serious violations of Election Commission guidelines in the Nuapada by-election during the legally mandated silence period and sought the Election Commission’s intervention to ensure that “all non-local political leaders vacate the constituency”.
He sought instructions to the district administration and police to “act impartially”.
In a post on Twitter, Patnaik said the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has credible information that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and workers from outside Nuapada are “attempting to influence voters”.
He alleged that the district administration and the local police were working in a biased manner to serve the interests of the ruling party.
