The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced on Sunday that the by-election for the Nuapada assembly segment in Odisha is likely to be conducted along with the forthcoming Bihar elections.
In a press statement, the ECI informed the deployment of 470 officers, serving in various states, as central observers (General, Police, and Expenditure) to oversee both the Bihar assembly polls and the by-elections in seven states, including Nuapada.
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.
These observers will serve as the “eyes and ears of the commission,” providing regular and essential reports to the panel, it added.
The by-election to the Nuapada assembly constituent was necessitated following the death of the incumbent MLA, Rajendra Dholakia, on September 8 due to health-related issue.
Dholakia was a four-time legislator from the Nuapada seat and had served as a minister in the Naveen Patnaik cabinet from 2022 to 2024. With his demise, the number of BJD MLAs in the 147-member Odisha assembly reduced to 50. The BJP holds 78 seats while the Congress 14, the CPI (M) 1, and three independent legislators, respectively.
