The Election Commission on Friday said it would take a call on conducting elections for three Rajya Sabha seats from Kerala shortly, after putting off its March 17 announcement of holding the polls on April 12 on Wednesday.
The ECI had announced that it would hold polls to fill the seats that are set to be vacated due to the retirement of MPs Abdul Wahab, K.K. Ragesh and Vayalar Ravi on April 21. However, on Wednesday, the day the poll notification was expected to be issued, the EC said it had put its earlier decision in “abeyance”. The EC said it had received a reference from the Ministry of Law and Justice that would be examined.
With the Kerala Assembly polls on April 6 and results scheduled for May 2, the new Assembly, which elects the Rajya Sabha MPs, would not be in place by April 12, the earlier date of Rajya Sabha polls.
On Friday, EC spokesperson Sheyphali Sharan said in a tweet: “CPI(M) delegation met ECI today. Decision of conducting elections to the 3 RS seats in Kerala will be shortly taken by ECI strictly within the existing legislative framework incl. provisions of RP Act,1951. M/o L&J has no remit to make recommendation on schedule of RS elections. (sic)”.
