Rajya Sabha Polls: ECI Sets September 3 As Voting Day As NDA's Majority Mark Slips Away

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has scheduled the elections for twelve vacant Rajya Sabha seats for Wednesday, September 3. According to the ECI, notifications must be issued by August 21, with nominations scrutinized on August 22. The deadline for withdrawing candidacies in Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Tripura is August 26, while for Bihar, Haryana, Rajasthan, Telangana, and Odisha, it is August 27.

Polling is set for September 3, between 9 am and 4 pm, with the vote count commencing at 5 pm the same day. The vacancies include two seats each in Assam and Bihar, and one each in Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tripura, Telangana, and Odisha. Mamata Mohanta, representing the Kudumi tribe of Mayurbhanj, resigned from both the BJD and the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

BJP's Tally Falls Below Majority Mark In RS 

The BJP's numbers in the Rajya Sabha decreased by four on Saturday as nominated members Rakesh Sinha, Ram Shakal, Sonal Mansingh, and Mahesh Jethmalani concluded their terms. These four, appointed as non-aligned members by President Droupadi Murmu upon the recommendation of the ruling party, later aligned themselves with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government.

With their departure, the BJP's tally has reduced to 86, and the National Democratic Alliance's count has fallen to 101, which is short of the majority threshold of 113 in the 245-member House. Nevertheless, the NDA still enjoys the backing of the seven other nominated MPs and one independent member.