Election Commission announces bypolls Rajya Sabha seat in two states

THE Election Commission of India on Sunday announced bypolls to one Rajya Sabha seat each in West Bengal and Kerala on November 29. The bypolls were necessitated by the resignation of Trinamool Congress’s Arpita Ghosh and Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani from the Rajya Sabha earlier this year.

Ghosh had resigned in September,Her tenure was to end in April 2026. Mani had quit in January. His tenure would have ended in July 2024.

The poll notification will be issued on Nov 9, the poll panel said. The counting of votes, as per practice, will be held an hour after voting concludes at 4 pm on Nov 29.

During the second wave, the EC had decided to put off the Kerala bypoll.

The commission announced biennial elections to six Legislative Council seats in Telangana and three in Andhra Pradesh on Nov 29. It also announced a bypoll to a Legislative Council seat in Maharashtra that fell vacant after the death of Sharad Namdeo Ranpise in September.