HP: Bypolls to 6 assembly seats to be held simultaneously with LS elections on June 1

The counting of votes will take place across the country in June. Announcing the schedule, Chief electoral officer Manish Garg announced that the elections to the four parliamentary seats – Shimla Hamirpur, Mandi and Kangra will be held on June 1. Bypolls to six assembly seats in Himachal Pradesh would be held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls on June 1 in the state, according to officials.

Bypolls to six assembly seats in Himachal Pradesh would be held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls on June 1 in the state, according to officials.

Bypolls to six assembly seats in Himachal Pradesh would be held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls on June 1 in the state, according to officials. (HT File)

The counting of votes will take place across the country in June. Announcing the schedule, Chief electoral officer Manish Garg announced that the elections to the four parliamentary seats – Shimla Hamirpur, Mandi and Kangra will be held on June 1.

“Elections to six assembly seats in Himachal will be held simultaneously with Lok Sabha elections,” said Garg here today.

Byelections will be held in assembly segments in Dharamshala, Lahaul Spiti, Sujanpur, Barsar, Gagret, and Kutlehar. The seats fell vacant after Vidhan Sabha speaker disqualified six MLAs for defying whip issued to them for voting on the cut motion as well as for financial bill 2024 to 2025. The six Congress legislators Sudhir Sharma (Dharamshala) Ravi Thakur (Lahaul and Spiti), Rajender Rana (Sujanpur) Inder Dutt Lakhanpal (Badsar) Chaitanya Sharma (Gagret) and Devender Bhutto ( Kutlehar ) had cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha elections along with the three Independents in favour of BJP candidate

The six legislators had challenged the speaker’s decision to disqualify them in apex court. The Supreme Court on March 12 adjourned until next week the hearing of a plea by six rebel MLAs of the Congress party challenging their disqualification from the Himachal Pradesh state assembly. The adjournment was granted at the petitioners’ request. The court, however, expressed its doubts over the maintainability of the petition under Article 32 of the Constitution.

As many as 5638422 voters including 28,79,200 males, 27,59,187 females and 35 third gender would exercise their franchise for the four Lok Sabha seats of Hamirpur, Kangra, Mandi and Shimla (SC) seats in the 7th phase (last phase) on June 1.

As per the election schedule for Himachal Pradesh, the notification would be issued on May 7, last date of filing of notifications is May 14, scrutiny on May 15, last date of withdrawal is May 16 and voting will be held on June 1.