LIVE: Maharashtra election on Nov 20; Jharkhand on Nov 13, 20; result on Nov 23

Bypolls to the Soreng-Chakhung and Namchi-Singhithang assembly constituencies will be held on November 13, the Election Commission announced on Tuesday.

The Soreng-Chakung assembly seat was vacated by Chief Minister Tamang who decided to retain the Rhenock constituency after winning the assembly elections from both the segments. The Namchi-Singhithang seat fell vacant after the CM's wife Krishna Kumari Rai resigned days after being elected as its MLA.

In a statement, the ruling Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) said it was confident about securing a landslide victory in both assembly constituencies as the Himalayan state has witnessed significant progress in all sectors under the leadership of CM Tamang.

The SKM will set another milestone similar to the historic results of recent assembly elections, it claimed.

The party will soon set up a parliamentary committee to select candidates for the upcoming by-elections, it added.

The SKM had won 31 of the 32 seats in the assembly elections held along with the Lok Sabha polls earlier this year. Later, the lone SDF MLA Tenzing Norbu Lamtha, who was elected from Shyari, switched sides, leaving the House without any opposition.

According to the EC, the gazette notification for the by-elections will be issued on October 18, while the last date for filing nominations is October 25.

The scrutiny of nomination papers will take place on October 28, and October 30 is the last date to withdraw candidature. The counting of votes will be held on November 23. 

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Tuesday slammed the Election Commission for not announcing the dates of the bypoll in West Bengal's Basirhat, alleging the poll panel was deploying a "delaying tactic" at the behest of the BJP.

The seat fell vacant after the death of the party MP SK Nurul Islam due to cancer on September 25 at the age of 61.

On Monday, the Election Commission announced dates for assembly polls in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, and by-elections to 47 assembly seats and the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat.

The bypolls to the Basirhat Lok Sabha seat in West Bengal and Milkipur in Uttar Pradesh were not announced as election petitions are pending for the two seats.

A senior TMC leader called it a "delaying tactic" and said the party would have easily won the seat.

"The Election Petition filed for Basirhat is a got up match between BJP and the EC to delay the bypoll. Trinamool would have won easily hence it has not been announced," said a senior TMC leader.

Basirhat witnessed a bitter fight between the TMC and BJP in the recent Lok Sabha polls as the BJP made the alleged sexual assault of women in Sandeshkhali, one of the seven assembly constituencies here, a major poll issue.

BJP's candidate Rekha Patra, however, lost to Islam with a margin of over three lakh votes. Patra later filed an election petition in the Calcutta High Court which remains pending.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday said the state awaits a "strong mandate" to the Mahayuti alliance in the next month's assembly elections for its development.

In a message on X, Fadnavis said, "The biggest festival of democracy was announced today. Diwali is known as a festival of lights, and we shall celebrate another such day on November 23. Maharashtra awaits your blessings and strong mandate for development." "Under BJP's leadership, massive victory was recorded in the 2014 and 2019 (assembly elections). Let us all come together and celebrate Mahayuti's mega victory on November 23. Participate in large numbers in this festival of democracy," he said.

The bypoll for the Kedarnath Assembly seat in Uttarakhand will be held on November 20, the Election Commission of India announced on Tuesday.

The seat fell vacant following the death of MLA Shaila Rawat in July. Rawat won the seat on a BJP ticket in the 2022 assembly polls. She had represented the seat in 2012 also as a Congress MLA.

She lost in 2017 but regained it in 2022.

The Kedarnath seat, located in Rudraprayag district, is part of the Pauri Garhwal Lok Sabha constituency, currently held by the BJP.

According to Additional Chief Election Officer Vijay Kumar Jogdande, the notification for the bypoll will be issued on October 22, with October 29 as the last date for filing nominations.

Scrutiny of nominations will take place on October 30, and November 4 is the last date for withdrawal, Jogdande said.

Counting will be held on November 23, he said.

The model code of conduct is now in effect in the district and will remain in force until November 25, the officer said.

 Voters at polling booths will be identified as per election rules but with due respect to their cultural values, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said on Tuesday.

Kumar made the comments in response to a question on controversies surrounding women wearing hijab to polling booths and debate around democratic rights versus cultural rights.

"The conduct of election rule 35 specifically mentions about identification of electors and 34 mentions about facilities for women electors. Identification of voters will be done exactly as per those rules but with full respect and regard to the cultural aspects of the area," the CEC said.

"There are some issues which are prevalent in many states like Rajasthan..many parts of the country..the identification will be as per rules position and fullest possible respect to the cultural value of that particular area," he added.

In May, a purported video clip had surfaced showing BJP candidate for Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat K Madhavi Latha asking burqa-clad women Muslim voters to show their faces to compare with the photo identity cards.

In the same month, a delegation of the Delhi BJP met the Chief Electoral officer (CEO) demanding proper verification of women voters wearing 'burqa' or face masks with the help of female officials during polling. It said the step would prevent "anti-social and anti-democratic elements" from "rigging" the elections on the seven Lok Sabha seats in the national capital.