RS polls for 5 Punjab seats along with 8 in other five states to be held on March 31: EC

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 7

The Election Commission of India on Monday announced holding elections on March 31 to fill five vacancies in Rajya Sabha from Punjab along with eight from five other states including Himachal Pradesh, Assam, Kerala, Nagaland, and Tripura.

The Election Commission (EC) said in its notification that vacancies from Himachal Pradesh, Assam, Kerala, Nagaland, and Tripura were created since several members complete their terms on April 2. Five members from Punjab---Sukhdev Singh, Partap Singh Bajwa, Swait Malik, Naresh Gujral, and Shamsher Singh Dullo---complete their terms on April 9.

“Out of the five seats to be filled from Punjab three are to be filled by holding one election and other two through another election as these seats belong to two different biennial cycles,” the EC said in the notification.

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.

From Himachal Pradesh Congress leader Anand Sharma, who is also the chairman of the standing committee on Home Affairs, was completing his term.

From Assam, two members—Ranee Narah and Ripun Bora—are completing their terms while three members from Kerala—AK Antony, MV Shreyams Kumar, and Somprasad K. Nagaland and Tripura are going to have one vacancy each—KG Kenye and Jharna Das (Baidya) are both completing their terms.

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.

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