Representational Image (Pixabay)
New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on March 12, 2022, announced the schedule for the bye-election in one Lok Sabha seat and four assembly seats.
The bye-elections will be held to fill vacancies in the Asansol Parliamentary seat and Ballygunge assembly seat in West Bengal, Khairagarh assembly seat in Chhattisgarh, Bochahan (SC) assembly seat in Bihar, and Kolhapur North assembly seat in Maharashtra.
The schedule of bye-elections is as follows:
| Schedule for Bye Elections | |
| Poll Events | Schedule |
| Date of Issue of Gazette Notification | 17th March, 2022, (Thursday) |
| Last Date of Nominations | 24th March, 2022 (Thursday) |
| Date for Scrutiny of Nominations | 25th March, 2022(Friday) |
| Last Date for Withdrawal of candidatures | 28th March, 2022 (Monday) |
| Date of Poll | 12th April, 2022(Tuesday) |
| Date of Counting | 16th April, 2022(Saturday) |
| Date before which election shall be completed | 18th April, 2022(Monday) |
MODEL CODE OF CONDUCT
The Model Code of Conduct shall come into force with immediate effect in the district(s) in which the whole or any part of the Assembly constituency going for election is included, subject to partial modification as issued vide Commission’ s instruction No. 437/6/1NST/2016-CCS, dated 29th June, 2017 (available on the commission’s website).
INFORMATION REGARDING CRIMINAL ANTECEDENTS
Candidates with criminal antecedents are required to publish information in this regard in newspapers and through Television channels on three occasions during the campaign period. A political party that sets up candidates with criminal antecedents is also required to publish information about criminal background of its candidates, both on its website and also in newspapers and Television channels on three occasions.
Commission vide its letter No. 3/4/2019/SDR/Vol.IV dated 16th September, 2020 has directed that the period specified will be decided with three blocks in the following manner, so that electors have sufficient time to know about the background of such candidates:
- Within first 4 days of withdrawal.
- Between next 5th 8thdays.
- From 9th day till the last day of campaign (the second day prior to date of poll)
(Illustration: If the last date for withdrawal is 10th of the month and poll is on 24th of the Month, the first block for publishing of declaration shall be done between 11th and 14th of the Month, second and third blocks shall be between 15th and 18th and 19th and 22nd of that Month, respectively.)
This requirement is in pursuance of the judgment of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in Writ Petition(C) No. 784 of 2015 (Lok Prahari Vs. Union of India & Others) and Writ Petition(Civil) No. 536 of 2011 (Public Interest Foundation &Ors. Vs. Union of India &Anr.).
This information will also be available on an App titled, ‘know your candidates’.
(Press Release)
