Guwahati: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday announced the by-poll in West Bengal’s Bhabinipur Assembly constituency. The by-poll will be held on September 30. And, the counting of votes will be on October 3.
It is a crucial election for Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in order to remain as CM of the state.
The seat has been vacant since May 21 after Banerjee’s TMC party leader MLA Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay resigned from the seat.
In the 2021 Bengal assembly election, Banerjee lost the Nandigram seat from Suvendu Adhikari. She had contested from Bhabinipur seat in the previous two elections.
In 2011, when she became Bengal’s chief minister for the first time, she was a member of Parliament. At that time she did not contest the assembly elections. But, after a few months, she got elected from Bhabinipur.
However, this time she decided to contest from Nandigram in East Midnapore against turncoat Adhikari.
However, she was defeated by Adhikari by over 1,700 votes.
Though Banerjee was sworn in as the chief minister of West Bengal, as per the rule she will have to become an MLA within six months after the formation of the government.
According to Article 164 of the constitution, a minister who is not an MLA within six months has to resign.
“A Minister who for any period of six consecutive months is not a member of the Legislature of the State shall at the expiration of that period cease to be a Minister.”
The Election Commission also said that polls would be held in Samserganj and Jangipur of West Bengal and Pipli (Odisha) on September 30.
