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Gujarat Congress Begins Candidate Selection for Crucial Umreth Bypoll

The Gujarat Congress has initiated the candidate selection process for the Umreth Assembly by-election, scheduling hearings with prospective candidates for March 24. The bypoll was necessitated by the death of sitting BJP MLA Govind Parmar, vacating the seat. The election is scheduled for April 23, with counting on May 4, involving over 2.4 lakh voters across 300+ polling stations. Administrative and polling preparations are currently underway in accordance with Election Commission directives.

Key Points: Gujarat Congress Hears Candidates for Umreth Bypoll

  • Candidate hearings on March 24
  • Bypoll due to sitting MLA's death
  • Over 2.4 lakh registered voters
  • Election scheduled for April 23
  • Preparations underway per EC guidelines
2 min read

Gujarat Cong to hold candidate hearings for Umreth bypoll tomorrow; appoints four observers

Congress appoints observers for Umreth bypoll candidate hearings. Election set for April 23 following BJP MLA's death. Get latest updates.

"Interested candidates seeking to contest the bye-election would be heard by appointed observers - Congress party letter"

Ahmedabad/Anand, March 23 The Gujarat unit of the Congress party has begun the process of selecting candidates for the forthcoming bye-election to the Umreth Assembly constituency, with party-appointed observers set to hear prospective candidates, party leaders confirmed on Monday.

In a letter issued on Sunday, the party said the bye-election will be held on April 23 and that the exercise to shortlist candidates is being undertaken as per the instructions of state president Amit Chavda.

"Interested candidates seeking to contest the bye-election would be heard by appointed observers in Umreth at 11:00 A.M. on March 24," the letter mentioned.

The observers named by the party are Natvarsinh Mahida, former MLA Chandanji Thakor, Vajirkhan Pathan, and Jagat Shukla.

The process is intended to assess prospective candidates before a final decision is taken.

The bypoll to the Umreth seat in Anand district was announced earlier this month following the death of sitting BJP MLA Govind Parmar, which rendered the seat vacant.

The poll is scheduled for April 23, with counting to follow on May 4 as per the Election Commission's schedule.

Officials have said that more than 2.4 lakh voters are registered in the constituency, and polling will be conducted across over 300 polling stations using electronic voting machines with VVPAT units.

Administrative preparations, including the appointment of nodal officers and training of polling personnel, are already underway in line with Election Commission guidelines.

Preparations are also underway for public facilities in all Assembly constituencies where bye-elections are scheduled.

The Umreth Assembly constituency is one of the 182 seats in the state Legislative Assembly.

It is an unreserved seat and forms part of the Anand Lok Sabha constituency. The constituency comprises areas of Umreth taluka and parts of Anand taluka, including several villages and urban segments.

In the 2022 state Assembly election, Parmar won the seat with a margin of over 26,000 votes.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
With over 2.4 lakh voters, this is a significant bypoll. The Congress needs a candidate who understands local issues like agriculture and water scarcity in the taluka. Wishing the observers wisdom in their choice! 🙏
R
Rohit P
Honestly, after losing by 26,000 votes last time, Congress has a mountain to climb in Umreth. This 'hearing' process feels like a formality. They need a grassroots worker, not someone chosen in Ahmedabad. The BJP machine is already in campaign mode.
N
Nisha Z
The inclusion of observers like Vajirkhan Pathan and Chandanji Thakor shows an attempt to balance community representation. Hope the final candidate reflects the constituency's diversity. The election schedule is tight!
D
David E
Interesting to see the inner workings of a major Indian political party. The transparency of announcing the observer names and process is a positive step for democratic functioning.
S
Siddharth J
The real test will be on April 23rd. All this process is fine, but what matters is the work done on the ground in the next month. Congress needs a strong local face to counter the sympathy wave for the late BJP MLA.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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