PANAJI, April 8 -- The Bombay High Court at Goa on Wednesday cancelled the notification to hold the Ponda assembly bypoll on April 9 morning on a petition challenging the Election Commission of India's (ECI) move to hold the poll when the current assembly has less than a year left in its term.

The term of the current Goa assembly ends on March 14, 2027. The ECI had notified voting for April 9, and counting on May 4.

"Considering that the remainder of the period left for the person who might have been elected in the bye-elections to the 21-Ponda constituency, to represent the constituency in the Assembly is less than one year, the said notification is therefore arbitrary, and issued contrary to Clause (a) of proviso to Section 151-...