The Election Commission of India has scheduled the elections for 12 vacant Rajya Sabha seats on September 3. Notifications for the elections must be issued by August 21, with nomination scrutiny taking place on August 22.
Candidates from Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Tripura have until August 26 to withdraw their candidacies, while those from Bihar, Haryana, Rajasthan, Telangana, and Odisha have until August 27.
Polling will occur on September 3 from 9 am to 4 pm, with vote counting starting at 5 pm on the same day. The vacant seats include two each from Assam and Bihar, one each from Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan, and one each from Tripura, Telangana, and Odisha.
In related developments, Mamata Mohanta, representing the Kudumi tribals of Mayurbhanj, has resigned from both the Rajya Sabha and the Biju Janata Dal (BJD). Mohanta’s resignation letter to Rajya Sabha Chairman stated, “I do hereby tender my resignation from the membership of Rajya Sabha, today, ie, July 31, 2024. I have taken this decision consciously.”
Mohanta, who recently joined the BJP, expressed her commitment to public service through this new political path. “My only aim is the service and welfare of the public. It can be fulfilled only by joining the BJP,” she stated.
In her resignation letter to BJD president Naveen Patnaik, Mohanta conveyed her gratitude for the opportunity to serve but indicated that she believed her and her community’s services were no longer needed within the BJD.
“I feel that there is no requirement of the services of myself as well as my community in the Biju Janata Dal. Therefore, I have taken this hard decision in the public interest,” she added.
