New Delhi:The Election Commission of India ( ECI) has announced dates for Rajya sabha polls which were deferred on March 24 due to coronavirus-induced lockdown.
As per reports, the polls to 18 Rajya Sabha seats will now take place on June 19. These seats include Andhra Pradesh(4), Gujarat (4), Jharkhand(2), Madhya Pradesh (3), Rajasthan (3), Manipur and Meghalaya one each.
The ECI has reviewed the matter in detail on Monday when the full commission was present at the first non-virtual meeting held after nearly three months.
It considered factors including the guidelines issued by Union Home Secretary and Chairman, National Executive Committee (NEC) under the National Disaster Management Act, 2005, and taking into account the inputs obtained from the Chief Electoral Officers concerned the dates are decided.
As per the notification issued on March 6, 55 members of Rajya sabha from 17 states retired in the month of April. Later on, 37 seats from 10 states were filled uncontested and the biennial elections for 18 seats from the States of Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya and Rajasthan were to be conducted on March 26 and completed before March 30.
Considering the situation of public health emergency due to COVID-19 and related advisories in the country, the Election Commission on March 24 deferred the poll and extended the period of Rajya sabha election under the provisions of section 153 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 Act.
The EC had decided that the announcement of the fresh date of poll and counting for the said biennial elections will be made after reviewing the prevailing situation.
The statement issued on March 24 also specified that the list of contesting candidates already published for the upcoming election by the respective Returning Officers is to remain valid for the purpose of remaining activities, as was prescribed under the notification issued on March 6.
In the meeting, ECI has also decided that the Chief Secretaries shall depute a senior officer from the State to ensure that the extant instructions regarding COVID-19 containment measures are complied with while making arrangements for conducting the elections and has appointed Chief Electoral Officer concerned as Observer for the election in the respective State.
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