With fall in COVID19 cases and easing of lockdown-like restrictions in 55 districts of Uttar Pradesh, the State Election Commission has announced the dates for bye-election of the recently concluded panchayat polls. The voting is scheduled to take place on June 12.

The need for bye-election arose after some of the winning candidates died as a result of the Coronavirus infection while many seats could not have a clear winner due to failure in achieving a 2/3rd majority.

Also Read: Meet the families of teachers who died after the UP panchayat elections

In an notification signed by State Election Commissioner Manoj Kumar, it was announced that the nominations for the bye-election would take place on June 6 and the time limit to withdraw the candidature would be before 3 pm on June 7. Also, it informed that the distribution of poll symbols for voting would be finalised the same day after 3 pm. The counting of votes and result declaration would be on June 14.

In the recently concluded rural body elections whose results were announced on May 5, the performance of the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state was diminished by the largest opposition party in the state — the Samajwadi Party.

Also Read: UP panchayat elections – Surging crowds at counting centres; COVID protocols missing

BJP lost in three prestigious places — Ayodhya, Mathura, and Varanasi, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s constituency.

Also Read: “Enforcing the COVID19 protocols in panchayat elections has been a nightmare”

Samajwadi Party led by former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav won in Varanasi and Ayodhya. Former Chief Minister Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Ajit Singh’s Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) trumped in Mathura.

Read this report in Hindi