Punjab: Bypolls to four assembly seats on Nov 13

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday announced that by-elections to four assembly seats -- Dera Baba Nanak, Chabbewal (SC), Gidderbaha, and Barnala --in Punjab will be held on November 13.

Counting of the votes will take place on November 23, said Punjab Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sibin C.

The four assembly seats fell vacant after MLAs from these constituencies were elected to the Lok Sabha.

Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, who was Congress MLA from Gidderbaha, was elected from the Ludhiana parliamentary seat while Raj Kumar Chabbewal, a Congress MLA who later joined AAP, became MP from the Hoshiarpur Lok Sabha seat.

Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, who was Congress MLA from Dera Baba Nanak seat, got elected from Gurdaspur parliamentary seat. Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, who was AAP MLA from Barnala, was elected as MP from the Sangrur Lok Sabha seat.

The Punjab CEO said the notification for the by-elections will be issued on October 18.

The last date for filing nominations is October 25 and the scrutiny of nomination papers will be conducted on October 28, Sibin C said, adding that the last date for withdrawal of candidature is October 30.

He further said with the announcement of the bypoll dates, the election code of conduct has come into effect in the districts where these constituencies are located -- Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Sri Muktsar Sahib, and Barnala.

The code of conduct will remain in force until the completion of the election process till November 25.

Sibin C said as of October 10, the total number of voters in the four constituencies is 6,96,316, with a total of 831 polling stations.