Bhubaneswar: The schedule for Pipili Assembly constituency by-poll has been revised yet again. According to Odisha Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sushil Kumar Lohani, the by-election will now be held May 16 instead of the earlier announced May 13.
The by-poll to Pipili Assembly seat will be held May 16 and counting of votes will be held May 19. The entire process will be completed by May 21.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) revised the dates in view of Eid celebrations, Lohani informed.
The by-poll was necessitated following the death of Pipili BJD MLA Pradeep Maharathy October 4. The polling was scheduled to be held April 17. However, when all the candidates vying for the seat were campaigning, Congress candidate Ajit Mangaraj died of COVID-19 just two days ahead of the polling date. He fell ill April 7 morning during campaigning and was rushed to a government hospital in Pipili and then to Apollo Hospital in Bhubaneswar where he breathed his last April 14.
PNN