The Election Commission announced elections to 10 Rajya Sabha seats from three States that are falling vacant in July and August.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha leader Derek O’Brien are among those completing their terms.
The polling will be held on July 24. Six of these seats fall in West Bengal. The Trinamool holds five of them and the Congress one. As per the current composition of the West Bengal Assembly, the Trinamool is likely to retain the five seats. Apart from Mr. O’Brien, Dola Sen, Sushmita Dev, Shanta Chhetri and Sukhendu Sekhar Ray complete their terms. Congress member Pradip Bhattacharya completes his tenure in August. The BJP may win this seat.
One seat the Trinamool held fell vacant after Congress rebel leader Luizinho Joaquim Faleiro, resigned from the party and the seat. The byelection to this seat will be held on July 24.
BJP leaders Vinay D. Tendulkar from Goa and Mr. Jaishankar, Jugalsinh Lokhandwala and Dineshchandra Anavadiya from Gujarat are among those completing their tenures. The BJP is expected to retain these seats.
According to practice, the counting of votes will take place at 5 pm on July 24 itself, an hour after the conclusion of the poll process.
