Nagaland, Tripura bypolls set for April 9 in ECI's two-phase schedule

Nagaland and Tripura will head to the polls on April 9 as the Election Commission of India announced by-elections in eight assembly constituencies across six states, following vacancies caused largely by the deaths of sitting legislators.

The by-elections will be conducted in two phases. Constituencies in Goa, Karnataka, Nagaland and Tripura will vote in the first phase on April 9, while seats in Gujarat and Maharashtra will go to polls on April 23. Counting of votes for all constituencies will take place on May 4, and the entire election process will conclude by May 6.

In Nagaland, the by-election will be held in the 28-Koridang (ST) assembly constituency after the death of former minister Imkong L Imchen. In Tripura, polling will take place in the 56-Dharmanagar constituency following the death of senior leader and former minister Biswa Bandhu Sen.

For the first phase of polling, the Election Commission said the gazette notification for seats in Goa, Karnataka, Nagaland and Tripura will be issued on March 16. The last date for filing nominations is March 23, while scrutiny of nominations will take place on March 24. Candidates will be able to withdraw their nominations until March 26. Polling will then be held on April 9.

The second phase will cover constituencies in Gujarat and Maharashtra. The gazette notification for these seats will be issued on March 30, with the last date for nominations set for April 6. Scrutiny will take place on April 7, and candidates may withdraw their nominations until April 9. Polling will be held on April 23.

The by-polls will also take place in the 21-Ponda constituency in Goa following the death of Ravi Naik, and in Gujarat’s 111-Umreth seat after the death of Govindbhai Raijibhai Parmar.

Karnataka will see by-elections in two constituencies — 24-Bagalkot after the death of Meti Hullappa Yamanappa (HY Meti) and 107-Davanagere South following the death of Shamanur Shivashankarappa.

In Maharashtra, by-polls will be conducted in the 223-Rahuri and 201-Baramati constituencies after the deaths of Shivaji Bhanudas Kardile and Ajit Anataro Pawar.

The by-elections are being conducted to fill the vacancies in the respective state legislative assemblies.