EC to hold bypoll in Wayanad LS seat earlier held by Rahul Gandhi

The Election Commission has initiated the process to hold a bypoll in the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat which Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had held until he was disqualified following his conviction in a criminal defamation case over his "Modi surname" remark. A court in Gujarat had sentenced Gandhi to two years in jail, following which the Lok Sabha Speaker disqualified him from the lower house.

A communication sent to recognised political parties by Kozhikode deputy collector on June 5 in his capacity as district election officer said that a mock poll after verification of the Electronic Voting Machines and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) systems will be held on June 7 ahead of the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency bypoll.

The parties were informed that the mock poll and verification of the EVMs and VVPAT system will be held at the Kozhikode Civil Station Aswasakendram Godown.

The Election Commission's move comes at a time when Gandhi's criminal revision application against the