Kolkata: The Election Commission of India (EC) on Saturday announced that bypolls to West Bengal’s Bhawanipur assembly seat, from where Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee is planning to contest, will be held on September 30.
The Election Commission said elections for three “postponed” elections — three in West Bengal’s assembly seats and one in Odisha — will be held on September 30 and results will be declared on October 3.
The announcement came as a big relief to the TMC as it would give Banerjee a chance to become a member of the Legislative Assembly of West Bengal which would allow her to continue as the chief minister of the state.
Mamta lost Nandigram seat
During the West Bengal assembly elections held earlier this year, Mamata Banerjee decided to give up her traditional Bhabnipur seat and contest from Nandigram seat, but lost to her former security-rival Suvendu Adhikari, who contested on a BJP ticket. Was.
Mamata Banerjee lost to former TMC leader Suvendu Adhikari by a margin of less than 2,000 votes. Adhikari is now the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly.
However, under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee, the TMC won a landslide election victory for the third consecutive term.
How did Mamta become CM without winning?
Mamata Banerjee needs to win a seat in the state assembly by November 5 as per the constitutional provisions to continue as chief minister. The constitution allows a non-member (be it chief minister or minister or prime minister) to remain in ministerial position for only six months.
Article 164(4) of the Indian Constitution states that a minister who is not a member of the State Legislature or Parliament for six consecutive months shall cease to be a minister on the expiration of that period.
BJP’s reaction to the announcement of the Election Commission
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has objected to the Election Commission’s decision to hold by-elections in Bhawanipur assembly constituency.
“We had always maintained that by-elections and elections to all seats should be held simultaneously once the COVID-19 situation improves. We do not know whether it is a practical decision to hold by-elections on one seat and elections on two seats as the pandemic continues. is also raging and there is a threat of a third wave. However, we accept the decision of the Election Commission,” the leader of opposition in the state assembly, the official said.
Meanwhile, BJP state president Dilip Ghosh wondered why elections to the urban local bodies in the state have been stalled for years when the assembly bypolls are facilitated when the TMC enjoys an absolute majority.
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