The Election Commission of India has scheduled bypolls to fill six vacant Rajya Sabha seats on December 20. These vacancies span across four states: Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, and Haryana.
The elections will be conducted using the proportional representation system, which plays a significant role in shaping party representation in the Rajya Sabha.
Among the six seats, three are from Andhra Pradesh, and one each is from Odisha, West Bengal, and Haryana.
The vacancies in Andhra Pradesh arose due to the resignations of Venkatramana Rao, Beedha Masthan Rao, and Rayaga Krishnaiah. Venkatramana Rao's seat became vacant in August, while Masthan Rao and Krishnaiah both resigned in the same month. Rao's term was set to expire in June 2024, while Masthan Rao and Krishnaiah had terms running until June 2028.
In Odisha, the vacancy resulted from Sujeet Kumar's resignation in September. His term was supposed to last until April 2026. Similarly, in West Bengal, Jawhar Sircar, a Rajya Sabha member, resigned in September.
Sircar's term was until April 2026. Lastly, Krishan Lal Panwar, a Rajya Sabha member from Haryana, resigned in October, with his term set to continue until August 2028.
The election process for these bypolls will follow the proportional representation system with the single transferable vote (STV). Under this system, Members of Legislative Assemblies (MLAs) in each state vote to elect Rajya Sabha members, listing their preferred candidates in order.
This voting system ensures that the number of MLAs a party has in a state directly impacts their success in securing seats. However, the process can experience unexpected outcomes if MLAs cross-vote, as witnessed in the Rajya Sabha elections in Himachal Pradesh earlier this year.
In February, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured a significant victory in the Himachal Pradesh Rajya Sabha bypoll, despite being outnumbered by Congress in the state legislature.
The Congress had 40 MLAs, while the BJP had only 25, yet the BJP won the lone seat, marking a major setback for Congress.
For the upcoming bypolls, the Election Commission has issued specific instructions regarding the voting process. To mark their preferences on the ballot paper, MLAs must use integrated violet sketch pens provided by the Returning Officer.
The use of any other pens is prohibited to ensure uniformity in the voting process. Additionally, the Commission has mandated the appointment of election observers to ensure free and fair elections. These observers will closely monitor the proceedings and help maintain the integrity of the election process.
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