By-Elections in 6 Bengal Assembly Constituencies on November 13, Announces Election Commission

Baby Chakraborty, KalimNews, October 15, 2024, Kolkata: The Election Commission of India has announced that by-elections for six assembly constituencies in West Bengal will be held on November 13, 2024. The announcement was made by Chief Election Commissioner Rajeev Kumar during a press conference today. These by-elections will coincide with polls in two Lok Sabha constituencies and 48 assembly constituencies across the country, scheduled for November 13 and November 20.

In Bengal, the six assembly constituencies set for by-elections are Naihati and Haroa in North 24 Parganas district, Medinipur in West Medinipur district, Taldangra in Bankura district, Madarihat in Alipurduar district, and Sitai in Cooch Behar district. These by-elections have been necessitated due to a combination of vacancies caused by resignations, disqualifications, or untimely deaths of elected representatives.

The Election Commission also revealed the schedule for assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand. The 288-seat Maharashtra Assembly will go to polls on November 20, while Jharkhand will hold its elections in two phases—on November 13 and November 20. The counting of votes for both Maharashtra and Jharkhand is scheduled for November 23, with the new governments expected to be in place before the end of their current terms. The Maharashtra Assembly's term expires on November 26, while the 81-seat Jharkhand Assembly's tenure ends on January 5, 2025.

Rajeev Kumar stated that necessary arrangements are being made to ensure free and fair elections across all constituencies. He also highlighted that this election will witness increased security measures, voter outreach programs, and extensive use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) and voter-verified paper audit trails (VVPATs) to uphold the integrity of the electoral process.

Interestingly, there had been anticipation that Maharashtra’s assembly elections would be announced alongside the Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir polls in August. However, the Election Commission chose to separate the dates. Haryana and Maharashtra have held elections simultaneously in the past, and this will be the fourth time that Maharashtra and Jharkhand will vote together.

As West Bengal prepares for the November 13 by-elections, political parties are gearing up for fierce campaigns in the affected constituencies. The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Left Front, and the Congress are expected to contest these seats with full vigor. With these by-elections coming just months before the 2025 general elections, the results will be a crucial indicator of the political mood in Bengal.

In addition to West Bengal, these November by-elections and state elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand will be closely watched for signs of shifting political alliances and voter sentiment. The results could potentially shape the strategies of national and regional parties leading up to the larger national elections.