Bhubaneswar: In view of spike in COVID-19 cases, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has deferred the by-election to the Pipli Assembly seat in Odisha until further notice.
The election was supposed to be held on May 13.
Earlier, Odisha Chief Minister and BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik had announced that his party would not hold any public rallies or campaign meetings for the by-election amidst surge in COVID-19 cases.
Meanwhile, the ECI has also decided to defer polls in two constituencies of Murshidabad in Bengal (Samserganj and Jangipur).
Polls to Jangipur and Samserganj in Bengal were deferred after the deaths of candidates in these seats. It was then rescheduled for May 16. Fresh notification with date will be issued later by the Election Commission.