Campaigning for Assembly by-elections in seven states ends today

New Delhi, Nov 5 (ANI): The Campaigning for the Assembly by-elections in the states of Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Kerala, Rajasthan, Assam, Himachal Pradesh and Chattisgarh ends today.

The polling will be held on Saturday in 31 constituencies spread over these seven states.

Out of these, 11 seats are in Uttar Pradesh, 10 in West Bengal, 3 in Kerala, 2 each in Assam, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan and one in Chattisgarh.

Polling for the by-election to the Firozabad Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh will also be held on Saturday. The counting of votes will be done on Nov 10.

Meanwhile, in Kerala, campaigning for the by polls in Kannur, Ernakulam and Allappuzha assembly constituencies in the state ends today. The candidates are making their last ditch efforts to win the voters in these constituencies.

Kannore, Eranakuralm and Alleppey assembly constituencies will go to the poll on Saturday and the results will be declared on November 10.

The allegations and counter allegations of irregularities in the voters list, replacement of the Kannore District Collector and the deployment of central Paramilitary forces marked the intense political tussle of this bye-election.

Neck to neck fight will be witnessed in all the three constituencies between the Congress led United Democratic Front and the CPIM led Left Democratic Front. BJP is also in the fray.

Tight security is in place in all the constituencies. By poll was necessitated in the three constituencies following the election of sitting MLAs to the Lok Sabha in the last general elections.

In West Bengal, campaigning for by-election in the 10 assembly seats will come to an end today. The voting will take place on November 14.

The State Chief Electoral Officer, Debasish Sen said that altogether 49 candidates are in the fray and over 19 lakh 50 thousand voters are eligible to cast their franchise. 2407 polling stations have been set up, he added.

The Election Commission has changed the voting period this time and it will start from 8 am in the morning instead of usual 7 in the morning due to the winter season. Out of the 10 seats, 9 seats had fallen vacant due to the election of concerned MLAs to Lok Sabha, while the remaining one was void due to the death of State Minister Subhash Chakraborty. (ANI)