Punjab News: ECI Announces June 19 Poll Date For Ludhiana West Assembly Bypoll

Chandigarh: The by-election to the Ludhiana West assembly constituency will be held on June 19 and the counting of the votes will take place on June 23.

With the announcement of the by-poll, the model code of conduct has come into effect.

The Chief Electoral Officer Sibin C said on Sunday that, as per the programme issued for by-elections, the notification will be issued on 26 May; Last date for filing nominations is June 2 and the scrutiny of nomination papers will be conducted on June 3, while the last date for withdrawal of candidature is June 5, 2025.

The Ludhiana West seat had fallen vacant following the demise of ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi on January 11, this year. He died at his home of a gunshot after his licensed weapon accidentally went off. A by-election to elect a new MLA from a vacant seat has to be held within six months.

The announcement of the election schedule saw a sudden spurt in the poll related activities with the ruling AAP, Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal candidates swinging into action holding meetings with their supporters.

While the AAP has already named party’s Rajya Sabha member Sanjeev Arora, the Congress has named former minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has fielded Parupkar Ghuman as its candidate; Ghuman is former president of the Ludhiana Bar Association.

For the record, out of total 117 assembly seats, AAP has 93 MLAs, main opposition party Congress has 17, SAD, three, BJP 2, BSP, one, besides one independent legislator. While all the seven incumbent Rajya Sabha members are of AAP, out of total 13 Lok Sabha seats, AAP has three MPs, Congress has seven, SAD (Waris Punjab De), two and SAD, one member.