The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday postponed the bypolls for four assembly seats in Punjab — Dera Baba Nanak, Chabbewal (SC), Gidderbaha, and Barnala — shifting the date from November 13 to November 20, 2024. The counting of votes is set for November 23.
Notably, the poll panel has rescheduled byelections for total 14 seats, including nine in Uttar Pradesh, four in Punjab, and one in Kerala following the requests from political parties, including the Congress, BJP, BSP, and RLD, who cited the impact of upcoming festivals saying that it could impact the voter turnout on the polling day.
In Punjab, key concerns were raised about the Sikh community’s celebration of 555th prakash parv of Guru Nanak Dev — founder of Sikhism — on November 15, with rituals beginning on November 13. Congress leader Pratap Singh Bajwa, in a letter to ECI, formally requested the postponement, stressing that the prakash parv is significant for Sikhs and other communities alike, and could impact voter participation if polling were held on November 13.
ECI, in its statement on Monday, acknowledged the cultural and religious importance of the festivals and the potential for reduced voter turnout due to widespread participation in celebrations. The decision to postpone was taken to ensure that people could fully participate in both the democratic process and their cultural observances.
Punjab’s Chief Electoral Officer Sibin C said: “ECI, in a communiqué, informed that considering large scale social, cultural and religious engagements on November 13, 2024, may cause inconvenience to large number of people, give rise to various logistic issues and may lead to reduced voters’ participation during the poll. Now, the Commission, having considered these factors and representations, has decided to change the date of poll from November 13, 2024, (Wednesday) to November 20, 2024 (Wednesday).”
The bypolls are critical for all parties as they aim to consolidate their influence in the State before the next full legislative assembly elections. For the ruling AAP, these bypolls are an opportunity to maintain their foothold in Punjab, especially in seats where they have fielded new faces. The Congress, on the other hand, sought to retain its dominance in constituencies previously under its control, relying on established local figures and familial ties, as seen in Gidderbaha and Dera Baba Nanak.
BJP, which is striving to expand its presence in Punjab, has fielded prominent candidates and hopes to leverage discontent with both the AAP and Congress to carve out a greater share of the electorate. The recent alliance between the BJP and some regional Sikh parties could further shape the electoral landscape, potentially swaying voters in rural areas.
The Election Commission’s decision to delay the bypolls highlighted its responsiveness to cultural sensitivities, ensuring the electorate can engage both in religious observances and in fulfilling their civic duty. With intense campaigning expected over the next two weeks, political parties are likely to focus on local issues, with candidates aiming to mobilize voters despite the proximity to festival celebrations.
Key Constituencies and Candidates
The four seats going to polls in Punjab became vacant when former MLAs were elected to the Parliament earlier this year. Gidderbaha, Barnala, Dera Baba Nanak, and Chabbewal are witnessing a tough battle among major parties, including the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Congress, and BJP.
Barnala: Formerly held by AAP's Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, now an MP from Sangrur, the seat sees a three-way contest. AAP has nominated Harinder Singh Dhaliwal, while the BJP is fielding former Congress MLA and moneybag Kewal Singh Dhillon, and the Congress has chosen Kuldeep Singh Dhillon as their candidate.
Gidderbaha: A hot seat — earlier represented by Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, who is now representing Ludhiana in the Parliament. His wife, Amrita Warring, now stands as the Congress candidate, against former Akali leader and now AAP candidate Hardeep Singh ‘Dimpy’ Dhillon; and former Finance Minister and five-time MLA Manpreet Singh Badal as BJP candidate. These three are setting up for a high-stakes contest.
Dera Baba Nanak: Formerly held by senior Congress leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, now the MP for Gurdaspur, this constituency will see Randhawa’s wife, Jatinder Kaur, contesting for Congress. BJP’s Ravi Karan Singh Kahlon and AAP’s Gurdeep Singh Randhawa are also competing, making for a tight race.
Chabbewal (SC): Previously held by Congress’s Dr Raj Kumar Chabbewal, who switched to AAP and won the Hoshiarpur Lok Sabha seat, this reserved constituency now has AAP’s Dr Ishaank Chabbewal, son of the former MLA, as its candidate. Congress has fielded Ranjit Kumar, while BJP’s candidate is former Akali MLA Sohan Singh Thandal.
Voter and Polling Station
CEO Sibin C, providing additional details, noted that the four constituencies collectively represent 6,96,316 registered voters who will cast their ballots at 831 polling stations. Dera Baba Nanak has 193,268 voters and 241 polling stations; Chabbewal has 159,254 voters and 205 polling stations; Gidderbaha has 166,489 voters with 173 polling stations; and Barnala has 177,305 voters and 212 polling stations.
