By-elections are being held across six constituencies in West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry on October 6, bringing several politically significant contests into focus. The polling covers five Assembly constituencies and one Lok Sabha constituency. The Election Commission has scheduled the counting of votes for October 9.
The six constituencies going to the polls are Nandigram and Rejinagar in West Bengal, Madurantakam and Dharapuram in Tamil Nadu, Thattanchavady in Puducherry and Nagaon in Assam. The vacancies arose after elected representatives resigned from one of the constituencies they had won or vacated their seats for political reasons. The Election Commission formally announced the schedule in September, with polling fixed for October 6 and counting on October 9.
Although the bypoll results are not expected to significantly change the numerical balance of power in the respective legislatures or Parliament, the contests have acquired political importance. Parties are treating the elections as an opportunity to assess their organisational strength, candidate appeal and voter support following the major Assembly elections held earlier in the year.
West Bengal is attracting particular attention because of the contests in Nandigram and Rejinagar. Nandigram has a strong political significance because of its association with the anti-land acquisition movement that played an important role in the rise of the Trinamool Congress in the state. The constituency was also the centre of a major electoral contest in 2021 between Mamata Banerjee and Suvendu Adhikari.
The 2026 Nandigram bypoll was necessitated after Adhikari, who won from two constituencies in the Assembly election, retained Bhabanipur and vacated Nandigram. The contest has therefore become an early electoral test after the Bharatiya Janata Party formed the government in West Bengal. The BJP has fielded Hasirani Rath, while Congress candidate Milan Pradhan is contesting with the support of the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress faction after its original nominee withdrew. Other candidates, including nominees backed by rival political groups, are also in the contest.
Rejinagar presents a different political scenario. The seat became vacant after Humayun Kabir, who had won two constituencies, retained Nowda. His Aam Janata Unnayan Party has fielded his son Golam Nabi Azad. The contest also includes candidates from the BJP, Congress, Trinamool Congress factions and CPI(M), making it a multi-cornered electoral battle.
Assam's Nagaon Lok Sabha constituency is another closely watched contest. The bypoll was necessitated after Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi resigned from the Lok Sabha seat and later contested the Assembly election from Dispur on a BJP ticket. The principal contest involves the BJP, Congress and All India United Democratic Front. The BJP has nominated former Nagaon Deputy Commissioner Debashish Sharma, while the Congress has fielded former Batadroba MLA Sibamoni Bora. AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal is also contesting, giving the election a significant three-way political dimension.
The Nagaon election is being closely watched because of the competing political interests of the BJP, Congress and AIUDF. While the outcome will not alter the overall balance of power in Parliament, the result could provide political parties with an indication of their support base in the constituency.
Tamil Nadu is holding bypolls in the Scheduled Caste reserved constituencies of Madurantakam in Chengalpattu district and Dharapuram in Tiruppur district. Both seats became vacant after AIADMK legislators Maragatham Kumaravel and P Sathyabama resigned and subsequently joined the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam. Both are now contesting the bypolls as TVK candidates.
The Tamil Nadu contests are significant because they represent an early electoral test for the recently formed TVK government. The elections also feature candidates from major parties including the DMK, AIADMK, CPI, CPI(M) and Naam Tamilar Katchi. In Madurantakam, several candidates are competing in a multi-cornered contest, while Dharapuram is also witnessing competition among several established political parties.
In Puducherry, polling is taking place in the Thattanchavady Assembly constituency. The seat became vacant after Chief Minister N Rangasamy resigned from the constituency following his election from more than one seat. The bypoll is being viewed as an early test for the newly formed NDA government in the Union Territory. Eleven candidates are in the fray, with the main contest expected to involve the ruling AINRC-led NDA, Congress and DMK.
Security arrangements have been strengthened across the constituencies. The Election Commission has stated that EVMs and VVPATs will be used at all polling stations. Voter identification is being carried out primarily through the Electoral Photo Identity Card, with other approved identification documents also permitted under the election rules.
The six bypolls therefore carry significance beyond the individual constituencies. They provide political parties with an opportunity to measure voter response after recent electoral changes and to evaluate their performance ahead of future political battles. However, the results should be interpreted carefully because bypolls often involve local factors, candidate-specific campaigns and constituency-level political equations.
The counting of votes will take place on October 9. Until then, turnout, voter participation and the performance of the major political parties will remain the key points of attention. The results are expected to provide an early indication of how voters are responding to the new political equations in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam and Puducherry.
