Officials of the Election Commission of India (ECI) are likely to hold a meeting soon to assess the situation in the States where bypolls are due, sources in the Commission said on Wednesday.
By-elections to Assembly seats had been deferred by the ECI in May after the completion of the West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry elections due to the COVID-19 situation. Since then, more vacancies have come up. The All-India Trinamool Congress had written to the ECI on August 26 seeking “immediate announcement” of bypolls in seven West Bengal Assembly seats. It had said there had been a “steep decline” in COVID-19 cases in the State, including the seven constituencies. Its supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who lost the election from Nandigram, has till November to become a member of the Assembly in order to retain her post.
An official said there had been no decision on holding bypolls yet. However, officials would assess the ongoing situation in the States soon. The Commission would be given a feedback after receving the inputs from the States.
On August 9, the ECI wrote to the recognised national and State parties seeking their views and suggestions on the COVID-19 protocols in place in the context of the pending bypolls this year and elections in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa in 2022.
