The Election Commission of India (ECI) issued the timeline on Tuesday for elections to the 11 Rajya Sabha seats from Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, in addition to a by-election to one seat in West Bengal.
Anytime the system of biennial elections comes up there are 11 constituencies out of which 10 are from Uttar Pradesh with the rest from Uttarakhand. The sitting members’ terms are set to come up for extension on November 25. Besides, the seat of the West Bengal has been lying vacant since Trinamool Congress MP Rukmini Mallik resigned from her seat.
The outgoing members from UP are Ram Gopal Yadav (Samajwadi Party), Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri, BJP members Arun Singh, Geeta Shakya, Neeraj Shekha, Brij Lal, Seema Dwiwedi and Banwari Lal Verma. Other members having expired include BSP’s Ramji Gautam. Rahul bedded down in the seat, which the BJP had manned earlier by Dinesh Sharma, since September 11. The BJP’s Naresh Bansal is completing his terms in Uttarakhand.
The term of the left vacant will be the remaining period till April 2, 2032, in the West Bengal by-election. On July 16, Mallik had resigns from the Rajya Sabha.
The ECI schedule has the notifications to be released on September 29 and last date for receipt of nominations on October 6. The scrutiny will be October 7, withdrawals until October 9.
Polling will resume October 16 from 9 am to 4 pm with counting beginning at 5 pm on October 16 as well if needed. The whole of the election process should be finished by October 19.
The elections would decide the elections for the 12 seats in the Rajya Sabha in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and West Bengal, after the biennial poll, courtesy of the West Bengal by-election.