EC POSTPONES BYPOLLS TO 3 LS, 8 ASSEMBLY SEATS OVER COVID CRISIS

The Election Commission Wednesday decided to defer proposed bypolls to three Lok Sabha and eight assembly seats in view of the prevailing coronavirus situation in the country.The poll panel said it would not be appropriate to hold the electoral exercise till the pandemic situation improves significantly.

The Commission said vacancies have been notified in three parliamentary constituencies of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Khandwa (Madhya Pradesh) and Mandi (Himachal Pradesh).

Also, there are eight vacancies in state assemblies -- Kalka and Ellenabad in Haryana; Vallabhnagar in Rajasthan; Sindgi in Karnataka; Rajabala and Mawryngkneng in Meghalaya, Fatehpur in Himachal Pradesh and Badvel in Andhra Pradesh.The poll panel had so far not announced schedule of the proposed bypolls.

There are few more vacancies for which reports and notifications are awaited, the panel said.”The Commission has reviewed the matter today (Wednesday) and has decided that due to outbreak of the second wave of Covid-19 in the country it would not be appropriate to hold by-elections till the pandemic situation significantly improves and conditions become conducive to hold these by-elections,” it said.