The Election Commission of India has scheduled by-elections for the three vacant Rajya Sabha seats from West Bengal on July 24, with results to be declared the same day. The vacancies arose due to the resignations of Trinamool Congress members Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, Sushmita Dev, and Prakash Chik Baraik following the party’s defeat in the state elections.
According to the announcement, the election notification will be issued on July 7, nominations can be filed until July 14, and scrutiny of nominations will take place on July 15. The deadline for withdrawal of nominations is July 17, and any polling required will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on July 24.
If needed, vote counting will also occur on the same day, with the entire process expected to conclude by July 27. The resignations were submitted by Roy on June 8, Dev on June 10, and Baraik on June 11, with subsequent political engagements by the former members.
Roy, who had distanced himself from the Trinamool Congress leadership earlier, met with a group of rebel party members, while Dev interacted with Assam’s Chief Minister and Baraik praised West Bengal’s Chief Minister. The current political scenario suggests that BJP nominees are likely to secure all three seats in the by-elections.
