UP Assembly bypoll on September 23: EC

Lucknow, August 25

Voting for the Hamirpur Assembly byelection will be held on September 23, the Election Commission said today. As per the itinerary, the notification will be issued on August 28. September 4 is the last date for filing nominations. Scrutiny will take place on September 5. The last date for withdrawals is September 7. 

Voting will be held on September 23 while counting of votes will take place on September 27, Chief Electoral Officer Ajay Kumar Shukla said in a statement issued here.

The byelection was necessitated after the disqualification of BJP legislator Ashok Kumar Singh Chandel following his conviction in a murder case. Meanwhile, a report from Ballia said the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), a former ally of the BJP, would decide on a tie-up with the Samajwadi Party (SP) for the upcoming bypoll on August 27.   

SBSP national general secretary Arvind Rajbhar said: “On August 27, party office-bearers and workers will hold a meeting in Lucknow, where a decision to forge ties with the SP for the bypolls will be taken.” He said SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and SBSP president Om Prakash Rajbhar had held talks a few days ago. The Rajbhars account for 4% of the electorate in the state. The community has a sizeable presence in Azamgarh, Mau, Ghosi, Ballia, Salempur, Jaunpur, Lalganj Ghazipur and Deoria. — PTI