The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced bye-elections for five Assembly constituencies across Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Jammu & Kashmir. Voting will take place on November 11 and counting on November 14.

The Election Commission of India has officially announced bye-elections to five Assembly constituencies across the country, setting November 11 as the polling date and November 14 for counting.

In Odisha, the Nuapada Assembly seat will go to polls following the demise of BJD MLA Rajendra Dholakia. Candidates can file nominations starting October 20, with scrutiny on October 22 and withdrawals allowed until October 24.

Punjab’s Tarn Taran seat, left vacant after the passing of AAP MLA Kashmir Singh Sohal, will follow a similar schedule. Voters there will cast their ballots from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on polling day.

In Rajasthan, elections will be held for the Anta constituency, which became vacant after the disqualification of MLA Kanwar Lal Meena in May this year. Nomination procedures close on October 21, with scrutiny on October 23 and withdrawal by October 27.

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir will also witness bypolls in Nagrota and Budgam, where the nomination and scrutiny timelines mirror those of Odisha and Punjab.

While these bypolls might appear routine, they carry political weight — testing regional party strengths ahead of upcoming state elections. Analysts say that smaller contests like these often serve as a pulse check for voter sentiment, particularly in states heading into major polls next year.