Polls to 5 Rajya Sabha seats from UP, Sikkim, Delhi January 16

New Delhi: The EC on Friday announced initiation of polling  process for the three Rajya Sabha seats Delhi whose members are retiring next month.

The EC also said that the bypoll to fill up the Rajya Sabha seat from Uttar Pradesh vacated by Manohar Parrikar after assuming charge as the Goa chief minister will also be held on the same date. Parrikar’s term in the upper house was to end on November 25, 2020.

Rajya Sabha member from Sikkim Hishey Lachungpa (Sikim Democratic Front) is retiring on February 23 next. The poll to fill up his seat will also be held on January 16.

The National Capital Territory of Delhi was allocated three seats in the Rajya Sabha and these are currently being held by Karan Singh, Janardan Dwivedi and Parvez Hashmi (all Congress). Their term is ending on January 27. The EC said the three Delhi seats would be filled by holding three separate elections as each of these vacancies fell under three different cycles which were determined at the time of the initial constitution of the Rajya Sabha in 1952.

It said that the Delhi HC in 1994 dismissed a petition filed against holding separate elections for the three seats.