ECI announces schedule for UP Legislative Council biennial polls from Varanasi Division Graduate, Teacher constituencies

Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) [India], September 24 (ANI): Divisional Commissioner and Returning Officer, Varanasi Division Graduate/Teacher Constituency, S Rajalingam, informed that the Election Commission of India has fixed the schedule for the election to fill the vacancies arising due to the expiry of the terms of Ashutosh Singh, elected member from the Varanasi Division Graduate Constituency, and Lal Bihari Yadav, elected member from the Teacher Constituency, of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council in December.  
According to which, the notification of election is on 29 September 2026, Tuesday; the last date for nomination is 6 October; scrutiny of nominations is on 7 October, Wednesday; the last date for withdrawal of nomination is 9 October, Friday; the date of voting is 23 October; the time of voting is from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm; counting of votes is on 27 October, Tuesday, and the date before which the election will be completed is 31 October, Saturday. 
He informed that, in the context of the said Legislative Council biennial election-2026, the relevant provisions of the Model Code of Conduct have come into force as per the provisions given in the guidelines of the Election Commission of India.  
Meanwhile, a week ago, an important meeting of the BJP Kashi regarding the Varanasi division teacher and graduate MLC elections was held at the BJP regional office.
District presidents, district coordinators, and co-coordinators from eight districts were present at the meeting at the administrative level and from 10 districts at the organisational level, according to a release.
Addressing the meeting, BJP State Vice President Shankar Giri said that every election is important for the BJP, be it parliamentary or Panchayat elections.
He said that teacher and graduate MLC elections are going to be held in the state in the coming days, and to ensure a 100% victory for the party in these elections, we must all begin preparations now. (ANI)