Bhubaneswar: The office of the Odisha Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) on Saturday announced a fresh date for the by-election to Pipili Assembly constituency in Puri district. As per CEO Sushil Kumar Lohani’s office, the constituency will go to poll on May 13 while the counting of votes will be held on May 16.
The by-election which was earlier scheduled to be held on April 17, was countermanded following the demise of Congress candidate Ajit Mangaraj on Wednesday (April 14).
According to the CEO’s office, April 26, 2021 (Monday) is the last date for filing of nominations while April 27 is the date of scrutiny of nominations. The last date for withdrawal for candidatures is April 29.
The Pipili bypoll was necessitated following the death of sitting BJD MLA Pradeep Maharathy in October last year. While BJD fielded Maharathy’s son Rudra Pratap as its candidate for the assembly segment, BJP nominated Ashrit Patnaik.
State Congress unit had named Ajit Mangaraj who succumbed to Covid-19 infection while undergoing treatment at Apollo Hospital in Bhubaneswar, just three days ahead of the bypoll on April 14.