Voters Cast Ballots in Indian Assembly and Lok Sabha By-Elections
Voters in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, and Puducherry cast ballots on October 6 for several vacant Assembly and Lok Sabha seats.
Voters across West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, and the Union Territory of Puducherry cast ballots on October 6, 2026, for several Assembly and Lok Sabha by-elections. In Tamil Nadu, the Madurantakam and Dharapuram seats became vacant after AIADMK MLAs resigned to join the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, a party founded by actor Vijay. By 1 p.m., turnout in these constituencies reached 55.19% and 56.09% respectively.
The voting process encountered various disruptions. Tamil Nadu reported electronic voting machine malfunctions and allegations of voter prompting in Dharapuram, which presiding officer Rajeshwari Sachdev denied. In West Bengal, early turnout was lower, with 20.89% in Nandigram and 18.05% in Rejinagar. Congress candidate Milan Pradhan reported protests and the disappearance of a polling agent in Nandigram, while Aam Janata Unnayan Party president Humayun Kabir was reportedly detained during polling in Rejinagar.
In Assam, the Nagaon Lok Sabha seat featured a triangular contest between the BJP, Congress, and AIUDF. In Puducherry, the Thattanchavady by-election was triggered by Chief Minister N. Rangaswamy's decision to retain the Mangalam seat. Votes for all contested seats will be counted on October 9.
