Stories
UP's 7 Vacant Assembly Seats: By-polls or Final Showdown in February?
- •Seven Assembly seats are vacant in Uttar Pradesh, including 4 from BJP, 2 from SP, and 1 from BSP.
- •The number of vacant seats rose to seven after the demise of Chhote Lal Verma, MLA from Fatehabad seat in Agra.
- •According to Section 151A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, a by-election should be held within six months if at least one year remains in the assembly's term.
- •If the remaining term of the House is less than one year, there is no compulsion to hold a by-election within six months.
- •Uttar Pradesh Assembly's current term is until May 22, 2027, with elections due in February-March 2027, making separate by-polls unlikely for these seats.
Key Questions Answered
According to Section 151A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, a by-election for a casual vacancy should generally be held within six months, provided that at least one year remains in the term of the assembly. If the remaining term of the House is less than one year, there is no legal compulsion to hold a by-election.
No, separate by-elections are not expected to be held for the seven vacant seats. Because less than a year remains before the current assembly term ends on May 22, 2027, the Election Commission has indicated that these seats will be filled during the scheduled general assembly elections in February-March 2027.
Out of the seven vacant seats in the 403-member Uttar Pradesh assembly, four are held by the BJP, two by the Samajwadi Party, and one by the Bahujan Samaj Party.
