Elections for 13 Rajya Sabha seats spread across six states will be held on March 31 this year, the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced today.
The seats are unevenly spread across six states - five in Punjab, three in Kerala, two in Assam, and one each in Himachal Pradesh, Tripura, and Nagaland. "The term of office of 13 members of the Rajya Sabha elected from 6 States is due to expire on their retirement in April 2022," the official statement read.
The elections to the upper house are being held as several leaders including Congress veterans Anand Sharma, AK Antony, and Partap Singh Bajwa, and Shiromani Akali Dal's Naresh Gujral are set to retire.
Out of the five seats to be filled from Punjab, three are to be filled by holding one election and the other two through another election as these seats belong to two different biennial cycles.
"Further, the term of office of the members to be elected to the Council of States from the State of Punjab shall be subject to the decision of the Supreme Court," the ECI said in a statement.
While members from Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Nagaland and Tripura are retiring on April 2, five members from Punjab are retiring on April 9.
The Rajya Sabha nominations from Punjab will depend on the performance of parties in the state in the February 20 assembly polls. There has been no vacancy in the past five years during the Congress government in the state.
The notification for the biennial elections will be issued on March 14 and the polls will be held on March 31. As per established practice, the counting will be held on the day of polling from 5 pm onwards.
The last date of making nominations is March 21, 2022. The last date for withdrawal of candidatures is March 24, 2022.
Adequate measures for close monitoring of the election process by appointing observers shall be taken to ensure a free and fair election, the ECI said.
The EC has also directed the Chief Secretaries concerned to depute a senior officer from the State to ensure that the extant instructions regarding COVID-19 containment measures are complied with while making arrangements for conducting the elections.
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