As many as 7.68 lakh voters will decide the fate of total 33 candidates in Punjab's four assembly segments of Phagwara (reserve), Dakha, Jalalabad and Mukerian.
The bypolls will be a litmus test for the ruling Congress which has just completed its two-and-a-half years in power, while the SAD-BJP combine and the state's principal opposition party Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) would fight for their political survival.
The polling will be held from 7 am till 6 pm, and the results of the elections will be declared on October 24.
Seven companies of paramilitary forces have already been deployed in the four assembly segments, officials said, adding that 920 polling stations have been set up. Some polling stations in Dakha and Jalalabad have been categorized as "sensitive".
During the previous elections, while the SAD-BJP combine had bagged two of the four assembly segments, one each was won by the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
This time, the main contest is between the Congress and the SAD-BJP combine.
While the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) is contesting the Jalalabad and Dakha seats, its ally BJP has fielded candidates in Phagwara and Mukerian.
The ruling Congress would like to maintain its winning momentum in the bypolls while the SAD-BJP alliance and AAP are looking at their political revival. Congress had registered an emphatic victory in 2019 Lok Sabha polls by winning eight out of total 13 parliamentary seats in the state.
In Phagwara (reserve), the main contest is between Congress candidate and former IAS officer BS Dhaliwal and BJP's Rajesh Bagha. Besides, the AAP, BSP and the Lok Insaaf Party have also fielded their candidates.
The Phagwara seat fell vacant after sitting MLA Som Parkash was elected to the Lok Sabha from Hoshiarpur, and elevated as the Union Minister of State.
On Dakha seat, the Congress has fielded Capt
Sandeep Sandhu, political secretary of Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh. The SAD nominee from the seat is former MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali.
It is being seen as a keen contest between the Congress and Akalis. Capt Amarinder had himself taken out two -roadshows in favour of Capt Sandhu who has been his trusted lieutenant. The Dakha assembly seat got vacant following the resignation of former AAP leader and noted Supreme Court lawyer HS Phoolka from the state assembly.
Phoolka had resigned in October last year over the Congress government's alleged failure in taking action against those involved in the desecration of religious sects in 2015 in the state.
In Jalalabad, considered an Akali bastion, there is a straight contest between SAD's Raj Singh Dibipura and Congress' Raminder Singh Awla.
The Jalalabad seat fell vacant after sitting MLA and SAD chief Sukhbir Badal was elected to the Lok Sabha from Ferozepur parliamentary segment in the 2019 general election. The top leadership of Akali Dal including Sukhbir Badal, Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Bikram Majithia held poll rallies to retain Jalalabad seat.
From Mukerian, the BJP has fielded Jangi Lal Mahajan. The Congress nominee is Indu Bala, the wife of the late Congress MLA Rajnish Kumar Babbi, whose death necessitated the byelections.
In the 117-member Punjab Assembly, the Congress at present has 77 legislators. The SAD has 13 MLAs while the strength of AAP legislators is 19.The BJP and Lok Insaaf Party have two MLAs each.