Bijepur bypoll: Petition filed in Delhi HC against ECI

New Delhi: A writ petition was filed in Delhi High Court today against Election Commission of India (ECI) to issue notification for by-election in Bijepur Assembly Constituency of Odisha.

The court has fixed January 22 for hearing the writ petition (WP(C) 599/2018) filed by petitioner Kanak Foundation & ANR.

Earlier, BJD and Congress in the State had blamed the ECI for delay in declaration of dates for the bypoll.

“There is no second thought that the EC is being pressurised by the BJP to delay the Bijepur bypolls. The BJP knows that it will bite the dust if the by-elections were conducted now,” BJD spokesperson Sasmit Patra had said.

The Congress too had come down heavily on the BJP alleging that the bypoll is being delayed due to vested interests.

However, the Odisha unit of BJP had refuted the allegations stating that the BJD and the Congress are pointing fingers at the party without any proof.

Though, on January 18, the ECI announced dates of Assembly elections for Tripura, Mizoram and Nagaland, no mention was made about the Bijepur bypoll.

Bijepur seat fell vacant in August 2017 after the death of incumbent legislator Subal Sahu.