<p>Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Wednesday directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to immediately conduct a by-elections for the Pune Lok Sabha constituency of Maharashtra which is vacant following the death of Girish Bapat.</p><p>Bapat (72), the BJP MP, passed away on March 29, after prolonged illness. </p><p>Before being elected as an MP in 2019 Lok Sabha polls in Pune, Bapat used to represent the prestigious Kasba Peth seat of Pune city - which he won a record five times - 1995, 1999, 2004, 2009 and 2014.</p>.Bill to appoint CEC, ECs moved in RS; Cong claims bill 'subjugates' poll body to executive.<p>A division bench of Justice GS Patel and Justice Kamal Khata expressed displeasure over the EC not announcing the poll for Pune.</p><p>“The ECI’s stand on not holding the elections as it was busy with other polls and preparation for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections is bizarre and wholly unreasonable,” the bench said. </p><p>"In any parliamentary democracy, governance is done by elected representatives who are the voices of people. If the representative is no more, another must be put in place. People cannot go unrepresented,” the bench noted.</p><p>The petitioner Sughosh Joshi, a registered voter in Pune, had challenged the certificate issued by the ECI on 23 August which claimed that the ECI could not hold a by-election.</p><p>The Bombay High Court noted that the Lok Sabha Secretary's notification had confirmed the vacancy since 29 March, 2023, while the current Lok Sabha Term will end on 16 June, 2024.</p>
<p>Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Wednesday directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to immediately conduct a by-elections for the Pune Lok Sabha constituency of Maharashtra which is vacant following the death of Girish Bapat.</p><p>Bapat (72), the BJP MP, passed away on March 29, after prolonged illness. </p><p>Before being elected as an MP in 2019 Lok Sabha polls in Pune, Bapat used to represent the prestigious Kasba Peth seat of Pune city - which he won a record five times - 1995, 1999, 2004, 2009 and 2014.</p>.Bill to appoint CEC, ECs moved in RS; Cong claims bill 'subjugates' poll body to executive.<p>A division bench of Justice GS Patel and Justice Kamal Khata expressed displeasure over the EC not announcing the poll for Pune.</p><p>“The ECI’s stand on not holding the elections as it was busy with other polls and preparation for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections is bizarre and wholly unreasonable,” the bench said. </p><p>"In any parliamentary democracy, governance is done by elected representatives who are the voices of people. If the representative is no more, another must be put in place. People cannot go unrepresented,” the bench noted.</p><p>The petitioner Sughosh Joshi, a registered voter in Pune, had challenged the certificate issued by the ECI on 23 August which claimed that the ECI could not hold a by-election.</p><p>The Bombay High Court noted that the Lok Sabha Secretary's notification had confirmed the vacancy since 29 March, 2023, while the current Lok Sabha Term will end on 16 June, 2024.</p>