Arunachal bypoll: Nomination paper of lone candidate found to be valid

The nomination paper of BJP's Tsering Lhamu, the lone candidate contesting the February 27 by-election in Lumla assembly seat in Arunachal Pradesh's Tawang district, was found to be valid, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Liken Koyu said on Wednesday.

The returning officer of Lumla constituency will declare the lone candidate to have been duly elected immediately after the last hour for withdrawal of candidature at 3 pm on February 10, Koyu said.

Though the People's Party of Arunachal (PPA) had nominated a former village headman as its candidate, he withdrew from the race and did not file his nomination.

Lhamu is the wife of Jambey Tashi, the MLA of Lumla whose death necessitated the by-election.

Tashi represented the constituency for three consecutive terms since 2009.

Assembly elections in the northeastern state are due next year simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls.