The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday announced the date for the by-election for Brajrajnagar (Odisha), Thrikkakara (Kerala), and Champawat (Uttarakhand) Assembly constituencies. The by-election will be on May 31, and the counting of votes will take place on June 3. 


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The nomination process will begin on May 4 when the notification will be issued. May 11 will be the last date for filing nominations. Date of scrutiny of nominations will be done on May 12. While the last date for withdrawal of nominations for Thrikkakara is May 16, it is May 17 for Champawat and Brajrajnagar because of May 16 being a public holiday (Buddh Purnima). 


The Model Code of Conduct shall come into immediate effect in the districts which the whole or any part of the Assembly constituencies going for bye election fall. The poll process in all three constituencies will be completed before June 5. 



The bypolls will also help the EC fill up vacancies in the electoral college which elects the President of India. The term of the incumbent president ends on July 24.


Why Bypolls on these 3 seats?


The by-election to the Brajrajnagar assembly seat was necessitated following the demise of Kishore Kumar Mohanty of the BJD.


Champawat MLA Kailash Chandra Gahtori had recently resigned and it is widely believed that CM Dhami would contest the bypoll from there. He had lost the recently held assembly polls.


The bypoll in Thrikkakara was necessitated following the demise of P T Thomas of the Congress.


All election related activities will be strictly complied as per the Covid-19 guidelines issued by competent authorities. Social distancing and use of mask, sanitisers, thermal scanning, face shield, hand gloves, as per Covid-19 protocol, have to be complied with.