Bhubaneswar: A day after the Pipili bypoll was postponed following the death of Congress candidate Ajit Mangaraj due to Covid-19, the Election Commission of India (ECI) will issue a fresh notification for by-election to the Assembly constituency.
Odisha Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Sushil Lohani on Thursday said that if a candidate of any recognised party dies during the election process, the poll is postponed.
As per section 52 (1), (c) of Representation of People’s Act, the returning officer has adjourned the Pipili bypoll yesterday and the matter has been notified to the Election Commission of India (ECI), said Lohani while addressing a press conference today.
“The Election Commission of India will issue a fresh notification for the bypoll. As per provision of the law, the Congress party will be given a chance to announce a new candidate. The entire schedule for Pipili Bypoll will be announced by ECI,” said Lohani.
According To Lohani, the party will get 7-days to ensure that their candidate files nomination soon after a fresh notification is issued by ECI. As per past experiences, 15-days’ time will allotted to complete necessary election formalities, Lohani added.
It is pertinent to mention here that Congress candidate Ajit Mangaraj, who was undergoing treatment in Apollo Hospitals in Bhubaneswar, died of Covid-19 infection yesterday.
Mangaraj was earlier tested positive for the virus and was undergoing treatment at the hospital in Bhubaneswar.
As per the previous scheduled announced by ECI, the Pipili bypoll was scheduled to be held on April 17 and the results were supposed to be announced on May 2, 2021.