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Bihar Cong MLAs ‘missing’, voting halted in Odisha | How Rajya Sabha polls unfolded
While 26 candidates had reportedly been elected unopposed, elections were held to fill the remaining 11 seats.
Chaos, allegations of irregularities, some legislators allegedly out of reach and the routine procedure - a lot unfolded as elections to 37 Rajya Sabha seats across 10 states took place on Monday.
While 26 candidates had reportedly been elected unopposed, elections were held to fill the remaining 11 seats, including five from Bihar, four from Odisha, and two from Haryana. Among those elected unopposed are Sharad Pawar, Abhishek Singhvi, Tiruchi Siva, and Vinod Tawade. Track LIVE updates on Rajya Sabha elections here
In the Upper House, members are elected by MLAs of state assemblies through the system of proportional representation by means of a single transferable vote, conducted through an open ballot.
If all seats are not filled through first-preference votes, the surplus votes of winning candidates are transferred to other candidates who fall short of the required number. If that still does not help a candidate reach the required 41-vote mark, second-preference votes come into play.
Here are the top developments as the Rajya Sabha polls unfolded today
• The absence of three Congress MLAs and one Rashtriya Janata Dal MLA in Bihar is likely to ensure victory for the NDA candidates contesting for the Upper House in the state. Many NDA leaders, across BJP and JDU, have already stated that they are set for a clean sweep in the elections.
• In Odisha, at least five MLAs from the Opposition Biju Janata Dal and Congress have reportedly voted for an independent nominee Dilip Ray, who has been backed by the BJP, PTI news agency reported.
• Polling for four Rajya Sabha seats in Odisha was halted for about 30 minutes over a dispute on the issuance of a second ballot paper to a BJP MLA, PTI reported. The BJD agent objected to the issuing of the second ballot paper to BJP MLA Upasana Mohapatra, who had sought another for overwriting on the one given to her earlier.
• Meanwhile, ahead of polling, the Congress had moved some of its Haryana MLAs to Kasauli on Friday over fears of cross-voting. The MLAs were moved along with state Congress chief Rao Narender Singh and returned to Chandigarh on Monday morning, according to the PTI report.
• Former Odisha chief minister and BJD leader Naveen Patnaik accused the BJP of horse-trading. “As has been discussed in the last few days about the BJP and their allies, it is clear what is meant for the horse trading they will do. They have collected a number of people to work for them. Most of them have criminal pasts, I am ashamed to say,” Patnaik told the media, ANI reported.
