The Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued detailed instructions for candidates contesting the upcoming 71-Nuapada by-election in Odisha, in line with by-elections scheduled across seven states.
The directives require all candidates to publicly disclose their past criminal records, following the Supreme Court’s guidelines. Compliance with these instructions is mandatory.
Key Instructions for Candidates:
-
Political parties must publish Form C-7 (candidate’s criminal background and related details) through printed media, official social media channels, and websites within 48 hours of candidate selection.
-
Within 72 hours, parties must submit Form 8 C (including a copy of Form C-7) directly to the Election Commission of India.
-
The final deadline for submitting Format CA to the Chief Electoral Officer, Odisha, and the ECI is 20 October 2025 (Monday).
-
For withdrawal of candidature, candidates must submit Form 7-A to the ECI by 24 October 2025.
-
All documents may also be submitted electronically via camc-eci@eci.gov.in.
The Election Commission has emphasised that failure to comply with these instructions will be treated as contempt of the Supreme Court’s order.
Further information and updates are available to political parties and candidates on the Chief Electoral Officer, Odisha website and the official ECI social media channels
