Election Commission of India Announces By-Election For Khonsa West Assembly Seat

Our Correspondent

Itanagar: The Election Commission of India on Saturday announced to fill the vacancy Khonsa West Assembly seat, a by-election for which will be held on October 21 next.

An election office notification issued here by Joint Chief Electoral Officer D J Bhatacharjee stated that gazette notification would be issued for holding the by-poll on September 23 next while September 30 is the last date for filing nominations and scrutiny of nominations would be held on October 1 next.

The last date for withdrawal of papers has been fixed on October 3 and counting of votes would be held on October 24 next, the notification said.

With the announcement of the poll date, the provisions of the Model Code of Conduct for political parties and candidates, announcement of any financial grants in any form or make promises thereof, ban on transfer of officers and officials connected with conduct of elections, has come into force from Saturday, the notification said.

“The model code of conduct will be applicable to whole of Tirap district in the state and will remain effective till the election process is over,” the notification added.

Altogether 10, 185 electors including 5226 female voters would exercise their electoral franchise in 23 polling booths in the constituency.

The seat fell vacant after its sitting MLA Tirong Aboh was shot dead along with 10 others at 12 mile area in Tirap district on May 21 last.

Aboh was on his way to Khonsa from Dibrugarh in Assam on the fateful day when the suspected Naga militants opened fire on his convoy consisting four vehicles and killed him along with his son and nine others.

Aboh, who was re-contesting from the seat in a National Peoples’ Party (NPP) ticket, had won the seat by defeating his lone rival Phawang Lowang of the BJP by 1055 votes.

Aboh was elected from the constituency in 2014 on Peoples Party of Arunachal (PPA) ticket.

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