Archive · 6 Oct 2026
Voting Begins in High-Stakes Bypolls Across Six Seats
People are voting in six special elections in four parts of India.
These elections are called bypolls and are held when a seat becomes empty before the next regular election.
Two of the seats are in West Bengal and two are in Tamil Nadu.
Assam is holding a bypoll for a seat in the national parliament.
The Union Territory of Puducherry is also voting for an Assembly seat.
Several political parties and candidates are competing in these races.
Some seats became empty after representatives resigned or chose to keep another seat.
The votes will be counted on October 9.
The Election Commission says the election process should finish before October 11.
Bypolls are underway across six constituencies in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam and Puducherry.
West Bengal is voting in Nandigram and Rejinagar, where the seats became vacant after winners retained another seat and a legislator resigned.
Tamil Nadu is voting in Madurantakam and Dharapuram, with TVK, DMK, AIADMK, left parties and NTK contesting.
The Nagaon Lok Sabha bypoll in Assam is a three-way contest among the BJP, Congress and AIUDF.
Counting is scheduled for October 9, and the Election Commission says the process will be completed before October 11.
- Who
- Voters and candidates in bypolls across West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam and Puducherry.
- What
- Voting is taking place in six constituencies: five Assembly seats and the Nagaon Lok Sabha seat.
- When
- Polling is underway; counting is scheduled for October 9, with the process due to finish before October 11. The year is not specified.
- Where
- Nandigram and Rejinagar in West Bengal; Madurantakam and Dharapuram in Tamil Nadu; Nagaon in Assam; and Thattanchavady in Puducherry.
- Why
- The seats became vacant after resignations, a representative choosing to retain another seat, or a former MP leaving a party and later winning an Assembly constituency.
- Number of seats
- Six: five Assembly constituencies and one Lok Sabha constituency.
- Regions voting
- West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam and the Union Territory of Puducherry.
- West Bengal seats
- Nandigram and Rejinagar.
- Tamil Nadu seats
- Madurantakam (SC) and Dharapuram (SC).
- Assam seat
- Nagaon Lok Sabha constituency; BJP, Congress and AIUDF are contesting.
- Puducherry seat
- Thattanchavady Assembly constituency.
- Counting
- Scheduled for October 9; the Election Commission says the process will be completed before October 11.