Elections to 3 RS seats from Kerala will be held before expiry of term of 3 MPS: EC tells HC

Kochi: The Election Commission on Wednesday informed the Kerala High Court that elections to the three Rajya Sabha seats from Kerala will take place before the expiry of the term of the three MPs. The Commission submitted that the notification for the polls will be issued before the retirement of MPs from Kerala--Abdul Wahab of the IUML, K K Ragesh(CPI(M)) and Vayalar Ravi (Congress) on April 21.

The Court, which recorded the submission made by the EC, however, directed it to file a statement disclosing the reasons based on which it was decided to postpone the Rajya Sabha elections for the three seats. The court gave the direction after counsel for the petitioners--Kerala Legislative Assembly and CPI(M)--pointed out that the Election Commission has not cited the reason why it has kept in abeyance proceedings for the proposed election to three vacancies.

The case has been posted for further hearing on Friday. In their pleas, the State Legislative Assembly and ruling CPI (M) in the state, challenged the EC's decision to keep in abeyance proceedings for the proposed election to three vacancies from the state in the Rajya Sabha. The elections to the three seats from Kerala falling vacant was to be held on April 12. The poll panel had initially announced that the elections for the three seats will be held on April 12 but later the commission said it is being kept in abeyance following a communication received from the Union Ministry of Law and Justice.