Byelections for 6 Rajya Sabha seats on July 5

New Delhi, June 15

The Election Commission today announced bypolls to six Rajya Sabha seats on July 5, including the one vacated by BJP chief Amit Shah following his election to the Lok Sabha.

Notifications will be issued on June 18 and elections and counting of votes will be held on July 5. In a statement, the commission clarified that the vacancies for bypolls to all Houses, including the Rajya Sabha, are considered “separate vacancies” and separate notifications are issued and separate polls are held, though the schedule can be the same.

The Congress had demanded that the bypolls to the two vacant seats in Gujarat be held together as it felt that it could win one of the two Rajya Sabha seats vacated by Shah and Union minister Smriti Irani. It felt in case of separate elections, the BJP would have an advantage as it is the ruling party in the state. 

The other seats for which bypolls have been announced are one in Bihar and three in Odisha. — TNS