Election Commission Declares Biennial and Bypoll Schedule for Rajya Sabha

The Election Commission of India on Thursday announced the schedule for biennial elections to 24 seats of the Rajya Sabha from ten states.

Among the members completing their terms next month are former Prime Minister H. D. Devegowda, Union Ministers George Kurian and Ravneet Singh.

According to the Commission, four Rajya Sabha seats each from Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Karnataka will fall vacant. Three seats each from Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, two seats from Jharkhand, and one seat each from Manipur, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram are also due for elections.

The notification for the polls will be issued on June 1, while voting and counting of votes will take place on June 18.

The Commission also announced bypolls to one Rajya Sabha seat each from Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. These vacancies arose after Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Ajit Pawar and AIADMK MP C V Shanmugam were elected to their respective state assemblies. The by-elections will also be conducted on June 18.