Bhubaneswar: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday said that bypoll to the Nuapada assembly segment in Odisha will likely be held along with the upcoming Bihar elections.
In a press statement, the ECI announced the deployment of 470 officers. serving in various states, as central observers (general, police and expenditure) for the Bihar assembly polls and the by-elections in seven states, including Odisha's Nuapada segment.
The observers work under the superintendence, control and discipline of the commission from their appointment to the completion of the election process, the statement said.
They would act as eyes and ears of the commission and keep reporting to the panel periodically and on a need basis, it said.
The by-election to the Nuapada assembly constituency was necessitated due to the demise of sitting MLA Rajendra Dholakia on September 8 due to health-related issues.
Dholakia was a four-time MLA from the Nuapada seat. He was a minister in the Naveen Patnaik cabinet from 2022 to 2024.
With his demise, the number of BJD MLAs in the 147-member assembly has come down to 50, while the BJP has 78, Congress 14, CPI (M) 1, and three independent legislators.
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