Rajya Sabha Election Updates: Polling For 24 Seats Begins Amid Security

The Election Commission has made elaborate arrangements for the voting in view of the pandemic.

Voting for elections to 24 Rajya Sabha seats began today at 9am. Elections are being held on four seats each from Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, three each from Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, two from Jharkhand and one each from the northeastern states of Meghalaya and Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram. Elections to most Rajya Sabha seats were put on hold since March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The build-up to the elections, in which seats from 10 states are at stake, was marked by a resurgence of resort politics, resignations, switching sides and allegations of bribery. In two states, Gujarat and Rajasthan, the Congress whisked away its flock, accusing the BJP of attempts to buy its MLAs.

A comfortable majority in the Rajya Sabha is crucial for the BJP to pilot bills through the upper house. The NDA needs around 30 more seats to have majority in the upper house.

Here are the Updates on Rajya Sabha elections:

Jun 19, 2020 10:24 (IST)

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan casts his vote for Rajya Sabha Election at the state Assembly in Bhopal.