Rajya Sabha Elections

RS bypolls: BJP nominee and former NCW chief Rekha Sharma wins unopposed

Former National Commission for Women chairperson and BJP leader Rekha Sharma was declared elected unopposed in the Rajya Sabha bypoll from Haryana after the deadline for withdrawal of nomination ended at 3 pm on Friday. Sharma had filed her nomination for the bypoll from Haryana here on Tuesday. She was the lone candidate in the fray. The BJP had on Monday announced Sharma's name for the December 20 Rajya Sabha bypolls. Accompanied by Haryana Minister Mahipal Dhanda and former Haryana Assembly Speaker Gian Chand Gupta, Sharma was given certificate by the Returning Officer after being declared elected unopposed. The opposition had not fielded a candidate for the bypolls. In the 90-member Haryana Assembly, the BJP enjoys a majority having 48 members, the Congress has 37 seats, the INLD two while three are Independents. The Independents also support the Nayab Singh Saini government. The Rajya Sabha seat in Haryana fell vacant when Krishan Lal Panwar of the BJP had quit his seat foll

Bypolls to six vacant Rajya Sabha seats in four states to be held on Dec 20

Bypolls to six vacancies in Rajya Sabha across four states will be held on December 20, the Election Commission announced on Tuesday. Three vacancies were created in Andhra Pradesh when YSRCP members Venkataramana Rao Mopidevi, Beedha Masthan Rao Yadav and Ryaga Krishnaiah had quit their membership in August. The terms of Yadav and Krishnaiah as Rajya Sabha members were to end on June 21, 2028, while Mopidevi was to retire on 21 June, 2026. A vacancy occurred in Odisha when Sujeet Kumar quit his seat following which he was expelled by the Biju Janata Dal. His term was to end on April 2, 2026. Jawhar Sircar of the TMC had resigned in April following the rape-murder of a woman doctor in Kolkata, creating a vacancy in the state. He was otherwise to retire in April 2026. Krishan Lal Panwar of the BJP had quit his Rajya Sabha seat from Haryana following his election as an MLA in the recent state polls. After the recent assembly polls, TDP in Andhra Pradesh and BJP in Odisha will have a

BJP's 9 for the taking: RS seats to be secured without a single vote

The BJP is currently at 87 seats in the Rajya Sabha

NDA eyes majority in Rajya Sabha after bypolls for 12 seats next month

The BJP-led NDA is expected to achieve a clear majority in Rajya Sabha after bye-elections for 12 seats scheduled next month, which would help the party get the nod for key legislations such as the Waqf (Amendment) Bill. In the upper house with the current effective strength of 229, the BJP has 87 MPs and with its allies the number is 105. Six nominated members, who usually cast their vote with the government, take the strength of the NDA to 111, four short of the half-way mark of 115. The Congress has 26 members in the Upper House and its allies add another 58, taking the opposition alliance numbers to 84. Among the key fence-sitters are the YSR Congress Party with 11 members and BJD with eight members. Elections to the 12 vacant Rajya Sabha seats in nine states will be held on September 3. The Election Commission has announced 12 separate elections for each of the seats, handing over a clear advantage to the ruling party in the state. The BJP and its allies are expected to win 11

Elections to 12 vacant Rajya Sabha seats from 9 states on September 3: EC

Elections to 12 vacant Rajya Sabha seats in nine states will be held on September 3, the Election Commission said on Wednesday. Ten Rajya Sabha seats fell vacant as the sitting members, including Union ministers Piyush Goyal, Sarbananda Sonowal and Jyotiraditya Scindia, were elected to the Lok Sabha. Bypolls are also being held for two seats in Telangana and Odisha. K Keshava Rao from Telangana resigned recently from the House after quitting the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) to join the Congress while Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP Mamata Mohanta resigned from her Rajya Sabha seat and primary membership of the party. Besides Goyal, Sonowal and Scindia, the other Rajya Sabha members who won the parliamentary polls and moved to the Lok Sabha are Kamakhya Prasad Tasa (BJP), Misha Bharti (RJD), Vivek Thakur (BJP), Deepender Singh Hooda (Congress), Udayanraje Bhosle (BJP), K C Venugopal (Congress) and Biplab Kumar Deb (BJP). The notification for the Rajya Sabha elections will be issued on Aug

Explore possibility to table Shah Commission report: VP Jagdeep Dhankhar

Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Friday asked the government to explore the possibility of placing an authentic copy of the Shah Commission report on Emergency excesses on the table of the House, as it had investigated the "darkest period of democracy". The Shah Commission report relates to atrocities committed during the Emergency imposed in 1975. During the Zero Hour, Dhankhar asked the government to take note of the issue raised by Deepak Prakash, a BJP MP from Jharkhand, regarding the matter relating to the Shah Commission report. "The government must examine the possibility of having the authentic report (of Shah Commission) and place it on the table of the House for the benefit of the members and public at large," he said. The Shah Commission was set up to investigate the 'darkest period of democracy' and the report relates to atrocities committed during the Emergency imposed in 1975, he noted. Earlier raising the issue, Prakash said, the Shah Commission, which was s

Health insurance reforms, exotic fruit diet: Top personal finance stories

This week we tell you about the changes in health insurance subscription and the health benefits of pricey fruits

Those who can't win polls have come to RS from Raj: PM Modi's jibe at Sonia

In a veiled attack on Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said those who cannot win elections have "fled the field" and have come to Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan. Addressing an election rally in Rajasthan's Jalore, Modi said the country is punishing the Congress for its "sins" and the party that had once won 400 seats is unable to find candidates to contest 300 seats in this Lok Sabha election. "Those who cannot contest elections, cannot win elections have fled the field. This time, they have come to Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan. The condition of Congress is so bad," Modi said. Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi is among the MPs elected to Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan in February. Several Congress veterans have not been fielded in this Lok Sabha election, but the party has rejected suggestions that they were shying away from contesting. "In the first phase of voting, half of Rajasthan has punished Congress. Rajasthan, which is full of patriotism, know

BJP president J P Nadda, five others take oath as Rajya Sabha members

BJP national president J P Nadda and five other newly-elected members of the Rajya Sabha took oath on Saturday. The oath was administered by Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar. Among others who also took oath include Ashokrao Shankarrao Chavan (Maharashtra), Chunnilal Garasiya (Rajasthan), Anil Kumar Yadav Mandadi (Telangana), Sushmita Dev and Mohammad Nadimul Haque (both West Bengal). "Vice-President of India & Chairman, Rajya Sabha, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar administered oath to Shri Jagat Prakash Narayan Lal Nadda ji as the elected Member of Rajya Sabha in Parliament House today," Dhankhar's office said in a post on X while sharing pictures of the oath-taking. His office also said that the Chairman, Rajya Sabha, also administered oath to the elected members of the Rajya Sabha in Parliament House which include Ashokrao Shankarrao Chavan, Chunnilal Garasiya, Anil Kumar Yadav Mandadi, Sushmita Dev and Mohammad Nadimul Haque.

Singhvi moves HC challenging his defeat in RS poll through draw of lots

Weeks after he lost the Rajya Sabha election from Himachal Pradesh, Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi on Saturday filed an application in the high court challenging the interpretation of draw of lots rules by the poll officer after there was a tie in the poll. BJP nominee Harsh Mahajan won the February 27 election through draw of lots after both candidates secured 34 votes each. "There is nothing in the law, neither in the act nor in the rules which compels an interpretation which requires that the person whose name is drawn in the draw of lots is a loser," Singhvi told reporters after filing his petition in the Himachal Pradesh High Court. In spite of the fact that the Congress had a strength of 40 members and the support of three Independents in the assembly, both the candidates polled 34 votes each as nine legislators -- six Congress rebels and three Independents -- voted in favour of BJP nominee Harsh Mahajan. The winner was announced by a draw of lots and under the procedu

Himachal CM's first reaction as BJP fields ex-Cong rebel MLAs in by-polls

The Congress had disqualified the six rebel MLAs, including Rajinder Rana for voting in favour of the BJP candidate Harsh Mahajan during the Rajya Sabha polls in February

FIR filed against those using unfair means to destabilise govt: Himachal CM

The Chief Minister said that the Congress party has organised a torchlight protest against those who tried to destabilize the government

RS nomination coming on Women's Day was a double surprise: Sudha Murty

The announcement of her nomination to the Rajya Sabha was a double surprise as it came on Women's Day, philanthropist and author Sudha Murty said on Friday. The former Chairperson of Infosys Foundation, the philanthropy and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm of Infosys, said that she has never sought the position and had "absolutely no idea" why the government chose to nominate her. "It came on Women's Day and that's a double surprise. I am very happy. I am grateful to our Prime Minister," Murty, who is currently on a visit to Thailand, told PTI over phone. On her role as a member of the Upper House, the wife of Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthy said, "I have to see what are the things...what I can do. This is a new area to me. So, I have to first sit and study and then I will be able to do it." She said she was pleasantly surprised by the announcement.

Sudha Murty nominated to RS, PM lauds her contribution in diverse fields

Philanthropist and author Sudha Murty was nominated to the Rajya Sabha on Friday, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauding her contribution in diverse fields. Modi asserted in a post on X that her presence in the Upper House is a powerful testament to "Nari Shakti" (women power), exemplifying the strength and potential of women in shaping the nation's destiny. Wishing her a fruitful tenure, he said, "I am delighted that the President of India has nominated Sudha Murty Ji to the Rajya Sabha. Sudha Ji's contributions to diverse fields including social work, philanthropy and education have been immense and inspiring." Murty, wife of Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthy, is also the chairperson of the Murty Trust and has authored several books. The 73-year-old, whose nomination comes on International Women's Day, was awarded the Padma Shri in 2006 and the Padma Bhushan in 2023.

New Rajya Sabha MPs collectively worth over Rs 4,600 crore, shows data

Figure ten times Election Commission's budget for 2023-24

RS polls: Digvijaya Singh targets BJP over political crisis in Himachal

Veteran Congress leader Digvijaya Singh apparently targeted the BJP as he alleged that the political crisis in Himachal Pradesh, which is ruled by his party, was created by those who have "taken the contract of toppling governments". Talking to reporters at Morena in Madhya Pradesh on Friday night, he also said the action against Congress rebels in Himachal would be taken at an appropriate time. Six Congress MLAs in Himachal Pradesh triggered the crisis this week when they voted for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Harsh Mahajan in the Rajya Sabha election for the lone seat from the state. Himachal Pradesh Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania on Thursday disqualified these six Congress MLAs for allegedly defying a party whip on voting for the state Budget in the assembly. When asked why the Congress was not taking action against the rebels in Himachal Pradesh, Digvijaya Singh only said, "It (action) will happen when the (suitable) time comes." On Friday, Himachal Pradesh

Best of BS Opinion: Himachal: an old tale, Japan as number four & more

Here is the best of Business Standard's opinion pieces for today

Himachal: Retelling an old tale

The BJP in Himachal has its own problems. But it is not a party that sits around twiddling its thumbs

NDA 4 short of majority Rajya Sabha after polls; What it means for BJP?

The BJP-led NDA is just four short seats of majority in the Rajya Sabha, the upper House of Parliament

Clamour for CM Sukhu's resignation gains momentum post defeat in RS polls

According to sources, at least half of the Congress' 40 legislators conveyed their unhappiness with Sukhu for not heeding their concerns