UP Rajya Sabha Polls: 12 candidates file nominations for 10 seats

Twelve candidates have filed nominations for 10 Rajya Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh. The BJP has fielded eight candidates, while three independents are also in the fray. Scrutiny is on Oct 7, and polling, if needed, will be held on Oct 16.

Twelve candidates have filed their nomination papers for the biennial elections to 10 Rajya Sabha seats from Uttar Pradesh, according to data released by the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Uttar Pradesh. Of the 12 nominations filed so far, nine were submitted on October 6, the last date for filing nominations, while three nominations had been filed earlier.

Candidate Nominations

Of the nine candidates who filed their nominations on October 6, eight were from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), while one was an independent. The BJP candidates are Dharmapal Singh, Radha Kant Ojha, Ram Prakash Pal, Vidya Sagar Sonkar, Gopi Krishna Pandey, Priyanka Singh Rawat, Ram Pratap Singh and Shruti Gangwar. Independent candidate Omkar Nath Chaurasiya also filed his nomination on October 6. Earlier, three candidates had filed their nomination papers. Independent candidate Kante Sayanna had submitted his nomination on October 1.

Election Schedule

The scrutiny of nomination papers is scheduled to be held on October 7, while the last date for withdrawal of candidature is October 9. Polling, if required, will be held on October 16 from 9 am to 4 pm. Counting of votes will also take place on October 16.

Context of the Biennial Polls

The elections are being held for 11 Rajya Sabha seats across Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, including 10 seats from Uttar Pradesh and one from Uttarakhand. The terms of the sitting members from the two states are scheduled to expire on November 25. The biennial elections will determine the new members who will represent the two states in the Upper House of Parliament.

The nomination process for the Uttar Pradesh seats concluded on October 6, with a total of 12 candidates having submitted their papers, according to the latest information released by the state Chief Electoral Officer. The electoral process will now move to the scrutiny stage, followed by the withdrawal deadline before polling is conducted, if necessary. The outcome of the elections will decide the composition of the Rajya Sabha from the two states after the expiry of the terms of the sitting members.

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