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By-Elections Underway in Gujarat & Maharashtra; Tamil Nadu, Bengal Vote in Phase 1

Polling commenced on Thursday for by-elections in Gujarat's Umreth and Maharashtra's Rahuri and Baramati assembly constituencies, triggered by the deaths of sitting MLAs. In Baramati, the vacancy follows the demise of former NCP chief Ajit Pawar, after which his wife Sunetra Pawar was appointed Deputy Chief Minister. Simultaneously, Phase 1 of assembly elections is being held in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal under tight security, with voting to conclude by 6 pm. The counting of votes for all these elections is scheduled for May 4, 2026, with the entire process to be completed by May 6.

Key Points: By-Elections in Gujarat, Maharashtra; TN, Bengal Phase 1 Polling

  • By-polls due to legislators' deaths
  • Baramati vacancy after Ajit Pawar's demise
  • Sunetra Pawar appointed Deputy CM
  • Counting on May 4, 2026
  • TN & Bengal Phase 1 voting concludes today
2 min read

Polling for bye-elections in Umreth assembly in Gujarat and Rahuri and Baramati assembies in Maharashtra begins

Polling begins for by-elections in Umreth, Baramati, Rahuri. Simultaneous Phase 1 voting in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal assembly elections.

"The entire election process will be completed by May 6, 2026 - Election Commission"

New Delhi, April 23

The polling for the Umreth Assembly by-election in Gujarat, and the Baramati and Rahuri Assembly by-elections in Maharashtra began on Thursday under tight security.

A by-election was triggered after the deaths of sitting legislators.

Polling for bye-elections in

In Maharashtra, the by-elections follow the demise of MLA Shivaji Bhanudas Kardile from 223-Rahuri and MLA Ajit Anantrao Pawar from 201-Baramati. The by-elections are being conducted to fill these vacancies.

The bypolls in Pune's Baramati constituency come after the former NCP Chief Ajit Pawar died in a plane crash while he was headed to his constituency earlier this year. Following his demise, his wife, Sunetra Pawar, was appointed as the Deputy Chief Minister of the state and was also named the chief of the NCP.

After polling, the counting of votes will take place on May 4, 2026 (Monday), and the results will be declared the same day. The entire election process will be completed by May 6, 2026 (Wednesday), the Election Commission said.

Meanwhile, polling for the Assembly elections began in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal (Phase 1) amid tight security on Thursday. The voting will conclude at 6:00 pm today in both states.

Before the start of voting, mock polls were conducted at polling stations across Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.

The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections are being held in a single phase today, while West Bengal will witness two phases of polling in the Assembly elections 2026, with the second phase scheduled to take place on April 29. The counting of votes is scheduled for May 4.

Polling is being held for 234 Assembly constituencies across Tamil Nadu.

In West Bengal, the parties are contesting against one another for 294 Assembly seats. As per the Election Commission of India (ECI), the first phase covers 152 Assembly constituencies, while the second phase includes 142 seats. There are a total of 1,478 candidates in the fray in this phase.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
Good to see elections proceeding smoothly. The EC's security arrangements are commendable. Hope the voter turnout is high. Democracy in action!
V
Vikram M
While the process is robust, I sometimes feel these by-elections get less attention from national media unless it's a high-profile seat like Baramati. Local issues in Rahuri and Umreth are equally important for the people living there.
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Priya S
My family is from Gujarat. Umreth bypoll is crucial for the local development projects that were halted. Hope the new MLA will work with double the speed. Jai Hind!
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Rohit P
Tamil Nadu and Bengal elections on the same day as these by-polls... May 4th counting day is going to be a mega news day! EC has its hands full. Respect for managing this massive exercise.
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Meera T
The article mentions the sad reason for these by-elections – the death of sitting MLAs. My condolences to their families. It's a reminder that public service comes with immense responsibility and sometimes great personal risk.

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