Patna, July 2 (IANS) The Election Commission of India has announced the schedule for the bye-election to the politically significant Bankipur (182) Assembly constituency in Bihar. Polling for the seat will be held on July 30, while the counting of votes and declaration of results will take place on August 3.

The bye-election became necessary after BJP National President Nitin Nabin resigned from his Assembly membership, leaving the prestigious Patna seat vacant.

With the election schedule now in place, political activity in the constituency has gathered momentum.

According to the Election Commission’s notification, the formal election process will begin on July 6, when the notification is issued and nominations open.

Candidates will be able to file their nomination papers until July 13, while scrutiny of nominations will be conducted on July 14.

The last date for withdrawal of nominations is July 16, after which the electoral battle will enter its campaign phase ahead of polling on July 30.

The votes will be counted on August 3, and the results will be declared the same day.

Despite the announcement of the election schedule, the state’s two principal political rivals — the BJP and the RJD — have yet to declare their candidates for the high-profile contest.

For the BJP, the bypoll presents the challenge of retaining one of its traditional strongholds, while the RJD will be looking to register a victory that could send a strong political message ahead of future electoral battles.

Adding a new dimension to the contest, Tej Pratap Yadav, who has parted ways with the RJD, has announced Veena Manvi as his party’s candidate.

Her entry is expected to influence the political equations in the constituency.

Meanwhile, Prashant Kishor, founder of Jan Suraaj, has intensified his public outreach in the Bankipur constituency, urging voters to support an alternative to the BJP.

Although speculation is rife that he may contest the bye-election himself, the party has not yet officially announced its candidate.

Located in the heart of Patna, the Bankipur Assembly constituency holds considerable political importance.

As a result, the bye-election is being viewed as more than just a contest for a single legislative seat.

Political observers believe the outcome could shape the narrative and influence alliances and strategies ahead of Bihar’s future electoral battles.

–IANS

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