Bypoll put off as candidate dies
Cong. candidate Ajit Mangaraj died due to Covid, ECI to announce new poll date
ELECTION COMMISSION of India will issue a fresh notification for the by-polls. As per provision of the law, the Congress party will be given a chance to announce a new candidate. The entire schedule for Pipili Bypoll will be announced by ECI soon.
Hours after the returning officer adjourned the election process for Pipili Assembly bypolls following the death of Congress candidate Ajit Mangaraj, state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sushil Lohani on Thursday said the Election Commission of India (ECI) will announce the next poll date soon.
By-election for the Pipili constituency was scheduled for April 17. The Congress candidate Ajit Mangaraj, 52, got infected with the Covid-19 during the campaign and succumbed to the disease on Wednesday evening at a private hospital here.
“As per section 52 (1), (c) of Representation of People’s Act, the returning officer has adjourned the Pipili bypoll yesterday and the matter has been notified to the Election Commission of India (ECI),” said Lohani.
“The Election Commission of India will issue a fresh notification for the by-polls. As per provision of the law, the Congress party will be given a chance to announce a new candidate. The entire schedule for Pipili Bypoll will be announced by ECI,” he added.
According to the CEO, the party will get seven days to ensure that their candidate files nomination soon after a fresh notification is issued by ECI. As per past experiences, 15-days’ time will be allotted to complete necessary election formalities, he said.
While Pipili by-polls were scheduled to be held on April 17 and the results were supposed to be announced on May 2, 2021.
By-poll to the Pipili Assembly constituency was necessitated due to the untimely death of incumbent MLA Pradeep Maharathy on October 4, 2020.
Odisha’s ruling BJD has fielded Maharathy’s son Rudra Pratap Maharathy to cash in on the sympathy factor. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the ruling BJD’s key opponent, has pitted veteran leader Ashrit Patnaik against Rudra.
While the BJD is making a desperate effort to win the seat, the BJP which has lost four Assembly bypolls since the 2019 general elections in the state, is looking for a victory to return to the winning track.