The Election Commission of India on Friday announced the schedule for holding assembly elections in four states – Assam, West Bengal, Kerala and Tamil Nadu and the Union Territory of Pondicherry in different phases in March and April.
But surprisingly, the EC ignored the conduct of by-polls to Tirupati parliamentary seat, apart from other by-elections in the country, including Nagarajunasagar assembly seat in Telangana.
Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said he would make a separate and special announcement for the conduct of these by-elections.
This has come as a big surprise, as the by-polls to Tirupati seat have to be held at any cost in March.
The seat has fallen vacant due to the death of sitting YSR Congress party MP Balli Durgaprasada Rao due to Covid-19 on September 16.
As per the Section 151A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the EC has to fill the vacancy through bye-elections within six months from the date of occurrence of the vacancy, provided that the remainder of the term of a member in relation to a vacancy is one year or more.
So, the Tirupati vacancy has to be filled before March 16. One wonders why the ECI has not chosen to conduct the by-elections before this mandatory deadline.
Sources said the schedule for Tirupati by-poll might not be issued before March 5, as Union home minister Amit Shah is scheduled to visit Tirupati on March 4 and 5, where he is expected to address a rally and make some announcements.
“This has been the trend being followed by the EC. Even in case of West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, the elections are announced only after the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” sources pointed out.