Ponda (Goa) by-election cancelled by the High Court !

Election Commission slammed !

Ponda, Goa 8 April – The by-election for the Ponda Assembly constituency, scheduled by the Election Commission for 9 April, was cancelled by the High Court on 8 April 2026. Official sources stated that the by-election was set aside on the grounds that the tenure of the newly elected MLA would have been less than one year.

The validity of the Ponda by-election had been challenged in the High Court. A petition was filed seeking cancellation of the by-election on the basis that less than one year remained for the completion of the current Assembly’s five-year term. After hearing arguments from both sides, the High Court ordered the cancellation of the by-election.

In this by-election, Ritesh Ravi Naik was contesting on behalf of the BJP, Dr Ketan Bhatikar from the Congress, and Gitesh Naik from the Aam Aadmi Party. Campaigning had been underway for several days, including door-to-door outreach, meetings, and public rallies.

A public rally addressed by BJP’s Goa in-charge and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was also held in Ponda; however, with the cancellation of the election, all campaign efforts have now gone in vain.