Bihar bypoll: The Election Commission today (November 4) announced bypoll to the Tirhut Graduate constituency of Bihar legislative council which fell vacant upon election to Lok Sabha of senior JD(U) leader Devesh Chandra Thakur.
The last date for withdrawal of nomination papers is November 28 while polling has been scheduled for December 5. The counting of votes will take place on December 9. Thakur, who is a close aide of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, had represented the seat for a number of terms before making his parliamentary debut from Sitamarhi.
Thakur, who is in his 70s, also gave up the post of chairman of the Vidhan Parishad. Veteran BJP leader Awadhesh Narain Singh has since taken over as acting chairman of the Upper House.
Parties are yet to announce their candidates for the bypoll, though sources in the JD(U) said an in-principle decision has been taken to field Abhishek Jha, a young leader who has made his mark as a combative spokesperson.