By-election for the Mandi Parliamentary constituency in Himachal Pradesh will be held on June 23. The seat fell vacant after Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh resigned following his election in the Assembly polls in December last year.
Chief Electoral Officer Narender Chauhan said that the Election Commission of India has announced the date and Model Code of Conduct had come into force in the districts of Chamba, lahaul-Spiti, Kullu, Mandi, Shimla and Kinnaur.
Chauhan said that the notification of the bye-election would be issued on May 29 and the last date of making nomination would be June 5. last date for withdrawal of candidature is June 8 and polling would take place on June 23 while the counting of votes would be done on June 27. The result is expected to be announced on the same date.
The Chief Electoral Officer said that Mandi Parliamentary Constituency has 11,24,770 voters out which 5,66,946 are male and 5,46,140 are female voters, while 11684 are service voters. He said that a total of 1921 polling stations would be set up for smoothing polling in this by-election.
So far, none of the two major parties — Congress and BJP — has announced its candidate.