Bypolls Announced For Rahuri And Baramati Assembly Seats; Voting On April 23, Counting On May 4
Bypolls Announced For Rahuri And Baramati Assembly Seats; Voting On April 23, Counting On May 4
Mumbai, March 16, 2026: The Election Commission of India has announced the schedule for by-elections to eight Assembly constituencies across six states, including two seats in Maharashtra — Rahuri in Ahilyanagar district and Baramati in Pune district.
The bypolls have been necessitated following the demise of Shivaji Bhanudas Kardile, MLA from Rahuri, and Ajit Anantrao Pawar, MLA from Baramati, leaving the two seats vacant.
According to the election schedule announced by the Commission, voting will take place on April 23, 2026, while counting of votes will be conducted on May 4, 2026.
The election process will begin with the issuance of the gazette notification on March 30, 2026. The last date for filing nomination papers is April 6, while scrutiny of nominations will take place on April 7. Candidates will be allowed to withdraw their nominations until April 9.
Polling in both constituencies will be conducted using Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) along with Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) systems at all polling stations.
For voter identification, the Elector Photo Identity Card (EPIC) will serve as the primary document. However, voters may also use other approved identity proofs such as Aadhaar Card, PAN Card, driving licence, passport, bank or post office passbook, MGNREGA job card, and health insurance smart cards.
Following the announcement of the election schedule, the Model Code of Conduct has come into immediate effect in the Rahuri and Baramati constituencies.
The Commission has also reiterated that candidates with criminal backgrounds must disclose details of pending cases, and both candidates and their respective political parties are required to publish this information three times during the campaign period.
The Election Commission has directed all concerned authorities to ensure adequate preparations for the bypolls and to strictly enforce the Model Code of Conduct. The entire election process is scheduled to be completed by May 6, 2026, the Commission said.
