Polls for 7 Rajya Sabha seats in Feb

The Election Commission will hold biennial elections on February 13 to seven Rajya Sabha seats, including those held by Union Ministers Vayalar Ravi and Saif-ud-Din Soz as also National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah.

Elections would be held for four seats in Jammu and Kashmir and three in Kerala.

Besides the seats held by Soz and Abdullah, two other seats became vacant in Jammuand Kashmir following the retirement of S Tarlok Singh and Chowdhary Mohammad Aslam in November.

Elections to these four seats could not be held earlier due to non-existence of assembly in the state, which elected a new government in December.

Besides Ravi, the tenure of Teennala G Balakrishna Pillai (Congress) and K Chandran Pillai (CPI-M) in Kerala will expire in April.

According to the schedule announced by the EC, the notifications would be issued on January 27. Last date for making nominations would be on February 3 and the scrutiny will take place the following day.

The last date for withdrawal of candidature would be on February 6.

Counting of votes would take place in the evening on February 13, the day of polling.