The much-awaited by-elections to Huzurabad assembly seat in Telangana and Badwel assembly seat in Andhra Pradesh are not going to be held in the near future.
The Election Commission of India made it clear in a statement on Saturday that the by-elections to these two assembly seats, along with 30 other vacancies in various state legislative assemblies and Union territories, besides three Lok Sabha vacancies would not be held as per the schedule in the wake Coronavirus pandemic and also flood situation.
However, the EC announced the conduct of by-elections to three assembly constituencies in West Bengal – Jangipur, Samserganj and Bhabanipur in West Bengal and one assembly constituency – Pipli in Odisha, for which it announced the schedule.
The by-election to Huzurabad assembly constituency in Karimnagar district of Telangana was necessitated due to resignation of sitting MLA and former health minister Eatala Rajender, while the by-poll to Badwel assembly seat in Kadapa of Andhra Pradesh was to be held due to the death of sitting YSR Congress MLA Dr G Venkata Subbaiah.
The EC said it had, in a statement on May 5, 2021, announced postponement of the bye-elections in various States/UT, after taking all material facts and inputs of Chief Electoral Officers of various States/UT in view of the pandemic.
On September 1, the EC conducted a meeting with chief secretaries and senior officials of the health and home departments, DGPs and chief electoral officers of various states to assess the feasibility of holding bye-elections.
It said the chief secretaries of various states and UTs brought to the notice of the EC the constraints related to flood situations, festivals and pandemic. They suggested that it would be advisable to have bye-elections after the end of festival season.
Some states have also brought to the notice of the Commission that Government of India, various research institutions, technical expert committees and professionals have predicted the possibility of third wave of COVID-19 October onwards. The Ministry of Home Affairs also issued detailed instructions on prevention of COVID-19 on August 28.
However, officials of the Odisha and West Bengal have told the EC that the Covid-19 situation was under control and there was no flood threat for the conduct of the by-elections.
West Bengal chief secretary said by-election to Bhabanipur seat should be conducted to avoid vacuum in the state as chief minister Mamata Banerjee has to get elected within six months.
