The Election Commission of India has declared bypolls for the Rajya Sabha seats in Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu due to two resignations. Sunetra Ajit Pawar’s resignation from Maharashtra and C.Ve. Shanmugam’s resignation from Tamil Nadu have led to these vacancies. The bye-elections will follow the set schedule, with nominations accepted until June 8 and polling scheduled for June 18.
The first vacancy in Maharashtra was created by Sunetra Ajit Pawar’s resignation on May 6, with her term originally set to end on July 4, 2028. The second vacancy in Tamil Nadu resulted from C.Ve. Shanmugam’s resignation on May 7, with his term initially planned until June 29, 2028. The Election Commission will issue the election notification on June 1, with the entire process expected to conclude by June 20.
Candidates have until June 11 to withdraw their nominations after scrutiny on June 9. Polling is scheduled for June 18 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with vote counting on the same day at 5:00 p.m. The Election Commission has mandated the use of specific violet-colored sketch pens for marking preferences on ballot papers to ensure the integrity of the voting process.
The Commission has emphasized the importance of fair and transparent elections by deploying observers to oversee the electoral proceedings. These bye-elections aim to maintain proper representation from Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu in the Rajya Sabha until the end of the respective terms.
