New Delhi, May 25, 2025 — In a crucial move to ensure uninterrupted democratic processes, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced the schedule for by-elections in five Assembly constituencies spread across Gujarat, Kerala, Punjab, and West Bengal. These bypolls are set to take place on June 19, with the counting of votes scheduled for June 23.
These elections, though limited in scale, carry significant weight for the affected regions. Each vacant seat tells a story — of leadership lost through untimely deaths or political shifts — leaving constituents awaiting renewed representation and stability. In Gujarat, elections will be held in Visavadar, following the resignation of AAP MLA Bhupatbhai Bhayani who later joined the BJP, and in Kadi, a reserved seat, which became vacant due to the passing of BJP MLA Karsanbhai Punjabhai Solanki.
In Kerala, the Nilambur seat fell vacant after the resignation of Independent MLA P.V. Anvar. Punjab’s Ludhiana West seat will go to polls following the death of sitting Congress MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi. Meanwhile, West Bengal’s Kaliganj constituency must now elect a new representative after the sudden demise of veteran Trinamool Congress MLA Nasiruddin Ahmed, who passed away in February due to a cardiac arrest.
With the announcement of the election schedule, the Model Code of Conduct has been enforced in all the respective districts. The gazette notification will be issued on May 26. The last date for filing nominations is June 2, followed by scrutiny on June 3 and the final date to withdraw candidature on June 5. The ECI has ensured that the election process will be completed by June 25.
In its commitment to transparency, the Commission reiterated that all candidates with criminal antecedents must publicly disclose their records in newspapers and on television three times during the campaign period. Political parties, too, must justify and disclose why such individuals have been chosen as candidates, making this information easily accessible through their websites, newspapers, and an app named ‘Know Your Candidates’.
For many voters, these by-elections offer a moment to reaffirm their voice in the democratic system, to choose leaders who can carry forward the responsibilities left behind, often under unfortunate circumstances. The ECI’s structured and sensitive approach ensures that even in transitions marked by loss or resignation, the people’s mandate continues to find its rightful place.