Jabalpur: The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Wednesday granted two days’ time to the Election Commission to file a reply on preparations for conducting by-polls in MP. The ECI is to conduct by-polls at 1 Lok Sabha and 3 assembly constituencies in MP. Recently, a petition seeking not to conduct by-polls in MP till the end of anticipated third wave of COVID-19 was filed in the court. Petitioner PG Nagpande of Nagarik Upbhokta Mardarshak Manch cited the example of Damoh by-polls and apprised the HC that positive cases has once again started increasing. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Mohammed Rafiq and Justice Vijay Kumar, while hearing the petition, has asked ECI to apprise the court about its preparations of conducting by-elections.
The ECI sought two days’ time to file a detailed report on preparations for by-polls. While granting time to ECI, the division bench scheduled the next hearing on September 22.
Notably, Khandwa Lok Sabha seat is vacant after the death of Nand Kumar Singh Chouhan. Similarly, Prithvipur, Jobat and Raigaon state assembly seats are vacant.
