Rajya Sabha Elections to 18 seats put off again

New Delhi:The Election Commission on Friday announced that the elections to the Rajya Sabha will be further postponed.

“In view of the current unforeseen situation of public health emergency, Election Commission of India invoking its powers under Article 324 of the Constitution of India read with section 153 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 has further extended the period of Rajya Sabha election beyond the prescribed term(s) of 18 seats across seven states,” said the EC statement. While 37 Rajya Sabha members from 10 states have already been elected unopposed, the 18 elections to the House of Elders from the states of Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya and Rajasthan have been put off. This includes the election in MP involving the Rajya Sabha hopeful Jyotiraditya Scindhia who has just shifted camps from tCongress to BJP. The Commissions aid these states have issued orders of lockdown to contain COVID-19 and it has, accordingly, reviewed the matter.