The Election Commission of India on Monday announced the revised date for Rajya Sabha elections that were postponed due to Coronavirus induced lockdown. As per the latest development, polling for 18 Rajya Sabha seats will now be held on June 19. Earlier, the elections were scheduled for March 26, a day after the nationwide lockdown began.


In an official statement, the polling agency in India said, "Elections to Council of States (Rajya Sabha) to fill 18 seats from States of Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya and Rajasthan to be held on 19th June, 2020. Counting of votes shall take place at 5 pm on day of election."



As per the announcement, the ECI has asked the Chief Secretaries to depute a senior officer to ensure that all the precautionary measures regarding COVID-19 virus are complied while making arrangements for the elections.

The officials further announced that the voting will begin at 9 am on June 19 and the counting of votes shall take place at 5 pm on the same day.

The polling will be conducted for total of 18 seats which include four seats in Andhra Pradesh; four in Gujarat; three each in Madhya Pradesh and Rahasthan; two in Jharkhand and one seat each in Manipur and Meghalaya.

A week before the lockdown was enforced on March 25, former Chief Justice of India, Ranjan Gogoi had taken oath as Rajya Sabha member on March 19 amid protest by Congress members and few other political parties.

As soon as Chairman of the House M. Venkaiah Naidu had made the announcement for the swearing-in to begin for Gogoi as a nominated candidate, members of Congress, DMK, CPM and IUML stood up at their places and shouted slogans and raised the questions over independence and fairness of judiciary.