The Central Election Commission is reportedly planning to hold byelection to the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency represented by former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, who was disqualified by a Gujarat court in a criminal defamation case in March.
Ahead of this, a mock poll was conducted at the Kozhikode District Collectorate on Wednesday to check the functioning of voter verifiable paper audit trail machines. Representatives of political parties were present to witness the procedures as directed by K. Hima, Deputy Collector (Elections), Kozhikode.
The Wayanad Lok Sabha seat remained vacant following Mr. Gandhi’s disqualification. Though there had been speculation about the possibility of a bypoll, an official exercise for the purpose is being carried out for the first time. Mr. Gandhi’s offices in the constituency stopped functioning recently after his personal staff were relieved from service.
