Bhubaneswar: The official notification for by-election to Jharsuguda Assembly constituency in Odisha scheduled to be held on May 10 was issued on Thursday, setting in motion the process of filing nomination by aspirants.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) had earlier announced bypoll for the seat which fell vacant following the murder of Jharsuguda MLA and Health Minister Naba Kishore Das allegedly by a policeman on January 29.
While the process of filing nomination began today, these papers can be papers can be submitted by the candidates to the returning officer till April 20, the last date for the purpose.
Scrutiny of nomination papers will be undertaken on April 21, while April 24 is the last date for withdrawal of candidatures.
Polling for the by-election is scheduled to be held from 7 am to 6 pm on May 10 and the entire process of election should be completed before May 15.
The three major political parties – ruling BJD and oppositoin BJP & Congress have already announced their respective candidates for the bypoll, which is expected to set the tone for the Lok Sabha and state Assembly elections due next year.
While Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has fielded Deepali Das, daughter of slain leader Naba Kishore Das whose demise necessitated the bypoll, Congress has nominated Tarun Pandey, son of three-time former Jharsuguda MLA Biren Pandey.
Similarly, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has named Tankadhar Tripathy as its candidate for the by-election. Tripathy is a former president of BJP Yuva Morcha and currently a party state secretary. The 41-year-old law graduate started his political career with ABVP as a student leader and has been politically active in Jharsuguda, his native place
