The Election Commission of India on Tuesday announced that elections for 10 Rajya Sabha seats will take place on July 24 in the states of Goa, Gujarat, and West Bengal. This decision comes as the terms of several Members of Parliament (MPs) are set to end, including that of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar who currently serves as an MP in the Upper House from Gujarat.
In Gujarat, three Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs will be vacating their seats on August 18. Alongside External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Dineshchandra Jemalbhai Anavadiya and Lokhandwala Jugalsinh Mathurji will also be stepping down.
Furthermore, one seat from Goa will be up for election as the term of BJP MP Vinay D Tendulkar is set to conclude on July 28. Additionally, six seats from West Bengal will be contested, with the terms of Trinamool Congress MPs Derek O’Brien, Dola Sen, Sushmita Dev, Shanta Chhetri, Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, and Congress MP Pradip Bhattacharya coming to an end on August 18.
The Election Commission has laid out the schedule for these elections. The official notification will be issued on July 6, marking the beginning of the nomination process.
Prospective candidates will have until July 13 to file their nominations, and the last date for withdrawal of candidatures will be July 17. Polling for the Rajya Sabha seats and counting of votes will take place on July 24.
In addition to the aforementioned elections, the Election Commission has also announced the same schedule for a bye-election for a vacant seat in West Bengal. The seat became available after Trinamool Congress MP Luizinho Joaquim Faleiro resigned on April 11. Faleiro’s term was originally scheduled to last until April 2, 2026.