Rajya Sabha Elections for 12 Seats in UP, Uttarakhand and Bengal on October 16
Polling for 12 Rajya Sabha seats will be held on October 16, with nominations closing on October 6.
New Delhi, Sept 22: The Election Commission has announced October 16 as the date for elections to 12 Rajya Sabha seats across Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and West Bengal. The schedule includes biennial polls for 10 seats in Uttar Pradesh and one in Uttarakhand, along with a by-election for a West Bengal seat.
The notification will be issued on September 29, while October 6 will be the last date for filing nominations. Votes will be counted on October 16.
In Uttar Pradesh, the terms of nine sitting Rajya Sabha members are due to end on November 25. Another seat became vacant following the resignation of former deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma after his appointment as Lieutenant Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The outgoing Uttar Pradesh members include BJP leaders Arun Singh, Geeta Shakya, Neeraj Shekhar, Brijlal, B L Verma, Seema Dwivedi and Hardeep Singh Puri, along with Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav and BSP’s Ramji Gautam.
The upcoming elections are significant for the composition of the Upper House, particularly in Uttar Pradesh, where the polls will take place ahead of next year’s Assembly elections.
The Uttarakhand seat currently held by BJP member Naresh Bansal is also due to fall vacant with the completion of his term.
In West Bengal, the election is being held to fill a casual vacancy following the resignation of Rukmini Mallik, popularly known as actor Koel Mallick, on July 16. The elected member will serve the remaining term of the seat until April 2, 2032.
The Election Commission’s announcement sets the timetable for the electoral process across the three states, with parties now expected to finalise their candidates ahead of the nomination deadline.
