ECI declares by polls ends Bengal suspense
ECI declares by polls ends Bengal suspense
Subject: Polity
What is a by poll?
Elections which are conducted only in a particular constituency or few particular constituencies because of
1) Sudden death of the MLA/MP.
2) Resignation to his post
3) Disqualified for any serious reason
4) If persons wins from two constituency in one election
5) If MLA MP is defected under Anti defection law
In any of the above scenarios, the election commission of India identifies the seat as vacant and notifies for the election. This election is called the bye-election.
Why by polls in this case?
- Elections were countermanded in the Shamshergunj and Jangipur Assembly constituencies where candidates succumbed to Covid (elections to the West Bengal Assembly were held on to 292 of the 294 seats). And in Khardaha, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate, Kajal Sinha, died of Covid
Why by poll in West Bengal is important?
The bypolls are crucial to Ms Banerjee continuing as the Chief Minister. She has lost Nandigram Assembly polls to BJP Suvendu Adhikari with a narrow margin of 1956 votes. Ms Banerjee has to get elected to the State Assembly by the first week of November, within six months of being elected as the Chief Minister.
| Do you know? Article 164(4) of the Constitution allows a non-legislator to occupy a post in the council of ministers, including the office of the chief minister, only for six months. If he doesn’t do so, the Constitution says he “ceases to be a minister”. |