The bypolls are now set to occur in 48 assembly constituencies across 14 states, alongside two critical parliamentary seats—Nanded in Maharashtra and Wayanad in Kerala. The Wayanad seat was vacated after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi chose to retain his constituency in Raebareli, while the Nanded constituency became vacant due to the passing of Congress MP Chavan Vasantrao Balwantrao. These seats represent key strongholds for the Congress party, with the upcoming bypolls expected to influence the party's strategic positioning as it seeks to consolidate support ahead of the next national elections.
In addition to the shifts in voting schedules, the EC has structured the bypolls in two phases to manage the scale of electoral operations more effectively. The first phase, scheduled for November 13, will cover 47 assembly seats and the Wayanad parliamentary seat. The second phase, set for November 20, includes a by-election in Uttarakhand’s single assembly constituency and Maharashtra’s Nanded parliamentary seat. These bypolls are strategically important as they allow the EC to monitor and address procedural issues while gathering data on voter trends.