Overview

• The Election Commission notified by-elections for Nuapada (Odisha), Tarn Taran (Punjab), Anta (Rajasthan), and the Nagrota and Budgam seats in Jammu and Kashmir, with nominations closing Oct. 20 or 21 and withdrawals by Oct. 24 or 27 depending on the constituency.
• Nuapada’s Gazette notification fixes polling on Nov. 11 and counting on Nov. 14, caps each booth at 1,200 voters, mandates webcasting at all stations, and requires disclosure of candidates’ criminal records during the campaign.
• Security and logistics for Nuapada include a requisitioned helicopter for remote booths, deployment of 14 CAPF companies, nine border checkposts, and shorter 7 a.m.–4 p.m. hours at 47 LWE-affected polling stations.
• For Hyderabad’s Jubilee Hills, authorities moved to issue the poll notification, appointed IRS officer Sanjiv Kumar Lal as Expenditure Observer, enforced the Model Code of Conduct by removing 2,176 illegal displays, and prepared 407 stations for nearly 399,000 voters.
• ECI-backed measures debuting in these bypolls include candidate photos on EVMs, expanded women polling staff, and accessibility steps for seniors and persons with disabilities, while party nominations remain pending in several seats and reports differ on the Congress nominee in Nuapada.