EC defers biennial Rajya Sabha polls

In a surprising move, the Election Commission on Monday put on hold indefinitely its decision to hold biennial elections to 10 seats of Rajya Sabha.

Officially, the election regulator claimed that the polls had been postponed since they would have clashed with the conduct of the Presidential election. The explanation raised more questions than providing answers.

“The presidential elections may coincide with the schedule of the biennial elections. In view of the fact the secretaries of legislative assemblies are notified as returning officers for the biennial elections to council of states, they are also to be appointed as assistant returning officers for the presidential elections,” said an EC spokesperson.

Another reason the spokesperson gave for the decision was that the EC has invited recognised political parties to prove before the commission the allegations of tamperability of electronic voting machines (EVMs).

The EC has invited parties from June 3 to try and hack EVMs, and the RS polls at this juncture would “divert attention of some of the parties who may like to participate in the challenge,” said the spokesperson.

In a press release issued on May 16, the EC had fixed elections for six seats in West Bengal, three in Gujarat and one seat in …read more