West Bengal Announces By-Elections for Three Rajya Sabha Seats

The Election Commission has officially announced by-elections for three Rajya Sabha seats in West Bengal, following the resignations of rebel Trinamool Congress MPs. Scheduled for July 24, the elections come after significant political shifts in the state. Key dates for the election process, including nomination deadlines and vote counting, have been outlined. This development is crucial as it may alter the balance of power in the Rajya Sabha, especially after the BJP's recent electoral success in the state. Stay tuned for more updates on this evolving political landscape.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jul 6, 2026, 12:31 IST

Announcement of By-Elections

On Monday, July 6, the Election Commission declared by-elections for three Rajya Sabha seats in West Bengal. Voting and counting of votes are scheduled for July 24. These by-elections are necessitated by the resignations of rebel MPs from the Trinamool Congress - Sukhendu Shekhar Roy, Sushmita Dev, and Prakash Chik Barik - from the upper house. Following the party's defeat in the assembly elections, these three members resigned on different dates in June after raising concerns about the party leadership. With the BJP's significant victory in the West Bengal assembly elections, the number of seats in the Rajya Sabha is expected to increase after these by-elections.

Schedule for Rajya Sabha By-Elections

The notification for the elections will be issued on July 7, 2026 (Tuesday).

The last date for filing nomination papers is July 14, 2026 (Tuesday).

Scrutiny of nomination papers will take place on July 15, 2026 (Wednesday).

The final date for withdrawal of nominations is July 17, 2026 (Friday).

Voting will occur on July 24, 2026 (Friday), from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

Vote counting will begin on July 24, 2026 (Friday) at 5:00 PM.

The election process is expected to be completed by July 27, 2026 (Monday).