Nuapada Bypoll Scheduled for 11 November
The Election Commission of India has officially announced the Nuapada by-election, setting 11 November—the same day as Bihar’s elections—as the polling date. Political parties have begun intensive strategising, although official candidate declarations are still awaited.
Key Dates and Voting Details
Notifications will be issued on 13 October, with nominations closing on 20 October. Scrutiny of nominations is scheduled for 22 October, and withdrawals will be allowed until 24 October. Counting of votes will take place on 14 November. Over 2.48 lakh voters across 358 polling stations will be eligible to cast their votes. To ensure transparency, webcasting will be conducted during the elections. Voters may carry mobile phones, but polling agents are prohibited from doing so. Special arrangements will facilitate home voting for senior citizens, and candidates must disclose cases against them three times.
Campaign Trail Heats Up
The election campaign is already in full swing, with candidates and their supporters visiting villages to engage voters. Chief Minister Mohan Majhi’s recent visit to Bhubaneswar has energized the BJP camp, while Congress, under the leadership of its PCC president, is projecting confidence. Jay Dholakia of the BJD has also been reaching out to constituents, although the party’s top leadership has not yet joined the campaign trail.
A High-Stakes Contest
With strategies being rolled out and intense political activity across the constituency, the Nuapada by-election promises to be a thrilling and closely watched contest that will keep voters and political analysts on edge.