NEW DELHI, June 27: Elections to 10 Rajya Sabha seats, including those held by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Derek O’Brien, will be held on July 24, the Election Commission of India announced on Tuesday.
The 10 seats in the Upper House of Parliament are falling vacant in July and August include six in West Bengal, three in Gujarat and one in Goa. Among those retiring are four BJP members, Vinay D Tendulkar from Goa and S Jaishankar, Jugalsinh Lokhandwala and Dineshchandra Anavadiya from Gujarat, five TMC members Derek O’Brien, Dola Sen, Sushmita Dev, Shanta Chhetri and Sukhendu Sekhar Ray and one Congress Pradip Bhattacharya, all from West Bengal.
According to a statement issued by the ECI, the 10 members are retiring between July 28 and August 18 on the completion of their six-year term in the Upper House.
The notification for the polls would be issued on July 6, the last date of nominations would be July 13 and the last date for withdrawal of candidatures would be July 17. Polling would be held on July 24 and according to practice, the counting of votes will take place at 5 pm on July 24 itself, an hour after the conclusion of the poll process.
The ECI also announced the same schedule for bye-election to one seat from West Bengal, which fell vacant upon the resignation of Trinamool Congress MP Luizinho Joaquim Faleiro on April 11. His term was valid till April 2, 2026.
(Manas Dasgupta)