Morung Express News
Dimapur | March 8
Elections for 13 Rajya Sabha seats spread across six states including Nagaland will be held on March 31 this year, the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced on March 7.
The seats are unevenly spread across six states – one each in Nagaland, Himachal Pradesh, and Tripura, two in Assam, three in Kerala, and five in Punjab. “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.
According to the statement, the Rajya Sabha member from Nagaland KG Kenye, along with members from Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, and Tripura are retiring on April 2, while five members from Punjab are retiring on April 9.
In this connection, the ECI informed that 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, followed by scrutiny of nominations on March 22. The last date for withdrawal of candidatures is March 24 and the election process should be completed by April 2.
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 ECI 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.
Further, in the case of Punjab, it said out of the five seats to be filled, 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 statement read.
