ECI Announces By-Polls for 5 Assembly Seats & Nagaon Lok Sabha Seat on October 6…
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has officially announced the dates for by-elections to five assembly seats and one Lok Sabha seat in four states and union territories. The Election Commission (ECI) has announced the election schedule for vacant assembly seats in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and West Bengal, and one parliamentary seat in Assam. Voting will take place in the Madurantakam and Dharapuram assembly seats in Tamil Nadu, Thattanchavady in Puducherry, and Rejinagar and Nandigram assembly seats in West Bengal. Voting will also take place in the Nagaon Lok Sabha seat in Assam. According to a notification issued by the Election Commission, voting for all these seats will take place on October 6, 2026, with counting of votes taking place on October 9, 2026. These by-elections are being held following the resignation of MLAs and MPs. According to the official schedule released by the Commission, the formal gazette notification for the elections will be issued on September 9, 2026. The deadline for filing nomination papers is September 16, after which scrutiny of nominations will take place on September 17. Candidates can withdraw their nominations until September 19. The complete election schedule is as follows: Prior to the elections, the Election Commission also notified the schedule for the final publication of voter rolls in the respective constituencies. It should be noted that the final voter list for the Nagaon parliamentary seat in Assam was released on February 10, while for the Thattanchavady assembly seat in Puducherry, it was released on February 14. In Tamil Nadu, the final voter list for the Madurantakam (SC) and Dharapuram (SC) assembly seats was released on February 23. These MLAs resigned MP Pradyut Bordoloi resigned from the Nagaon Lok Sabha seat in Assam, necessitating a by-election. Representatives from five other assembly seats have also resigned. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari resigned from Nandigram in West Bengal. Humayun Kabir resigned from the Rejinagar seat in Murshidabad district. MLA Maragatham Kumaravel resigned from the Madurantakam seat in Tamil Nadu, and P. Satyabhama from Dharapuram. MLA N. Rangasamy resigned from the Thattanchavady seat in Puducherry. The Election Commission has directed the Chief Electoral Officers of the respective states to ensure free, fair, and peaceful elections. Adequate availability of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and VVPATs (VVPATs) has been ensured. Orders have also been issued to ensure strict security arrangements in sensitive areas.
Vande Mataram vs Tamil Thai Valthu, Vijay Government Faces First Major Controversy
A controversy has erupted in Tamil Nadu over the order in which “Vande Mataram” and “Tamil Thai Valthu” were played during the swearing-in ceremony of the new government. The issue has even created tensions between the ruling TVK and its alliance partner VCK. VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan criticized Chief Minister Vijay, calling the move a violation of Tamil Nadu’s established traditions. He also raised questions about the ideological stand of Vijay’s party, TVK.The new government in Tamil Nadu has barely completed a day in office, yet differences between TVK and its allies have already begun to surface. Thirumavalavan objected to “Vande Mataram” being played before “Tamil Thai Valthu” at the ceremony. Traditionally, official government events in Tamil Nadu begin with “Tamil Thai Valthu,” the state song. According to VCK, Vijay’s ceremony reversed the order by first playing “Vande Mataram” and then “Tamil Thai Valthu.” Thirumavalavan demanded an explanation from TVK and questioned whether the party intended to prioritize “Vande Mataram” over the Tamil state song in the future. The controversy has also put pressure on the alliance parties that supported Vijay’s government. Thirumavalavan stated that the Chief Minister should clarify whether “Tamil Thai Valthu” would continue to receive due respect in official events. Meanwhile, after assuming office, Chief Minister Vijay said that the previous government had left Tamil Nadu with a debt of ₹10 lakh crore and had emptied the state treasury. Responding to this statement, Thirumavalavan said that presenting only the total debt figures creates unnecessary fear among the public. He argued that state debt should always be assessed in proportion to the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP). According to him, Tamil Nadu’s debt still remains within the limits set by the 15th Finance Commission. He added that highlighting only the debt numbers appeared politically motivated. At the same time, Thirumavalavan welcomed Vijay’s three early announcements, which included measures for de-addiction, women’s safety, and free electricity up to 200 units. He also appealed to the Chief Minister to assure the people of Tamil Nadu that his government would remain completely secular.