Article Title: Bye election
23-08-2023
Polity & Governance Prelims Plus
Why is in news? Bye Election to the Council of States from Uttar Pradesh
Bypolls, also called bye-elections or special elections, are conducted to fill vacant seats in legislative bodies.
Bypolls are important in the electoral cycle to address unforeseen vacancies.
The primary purpose of bypolls is to ensure timely representation of the affected constituency or district in the legislative body.
Bypolls are held when a seat in the legislature becomes vacant due to death, resignation, disqualification, or expulsion of a sitting member.
Section 151A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 mandates the Election Commission to fill the casual vacancies in the Houses of Parliament and State Legislatures through by-elections within six months from the date of occurrence of the vacancy, provided that the remainder of the term of a member in relation to a vacancy is one year or more.
No need to hold bypolls if the remaining term of the Lok Sabha is less than one year from the date of occurrence of vacancies.
Impact:
Bypolls serve as a significant indicator of the popularity and strength of political parties.
Bye-elections often serve as a litmus test for political parties and their popularity.
They provide an opportunity for parties to gauge public sentiment and assess their support base.
The outcomes of by-elections can have an impact on the ruling government’s majority.
If the ruling party loses a substantial number of bypoll seats, it may lead to a loss of the government’s stability and decision-making.
Bypolls offer a platform for political parties to experiment with their electoral strategies and refine their campaign approaches.
Parties can test various aspects such as candidate selection, campaign themes, and messaging during by-polls that can influence their strategies in subsequent elections.
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