Election Commission19-December, 2011 19:35 IST
Biennial Elections to the Council of States from NCT of Delhi 2011-12

 

The National Capital Territory of Delhi has been allocated three seats in the Rajya Sabha, which are held by Dr. Karan Singh, Shri Janardan Dwivedi and Shri Parvej Hashmi, whose terms of office will expire on 27th January, 2012.  Thus, biennial elections are due to be held to fill all the above mentioned three vacancies arising on 27th January, 2012, on a regular basis.

2.       These three vacancies are being filled by holding three separate elections, in accordance with the law on the subject, as each of these three vacancies fell under three different cycles, which were determined at the time of the initial constitution of the Rajya Sabha in 1952 itself.  The decision of the Commission to hold three separate elections was called in question before the Hon’ble Delhi High Court in Civil Writ Petition No.132 of 1994 (A.K. Walia Vs. Union of India and Others) on behalf of the Indian National Congress, contending that all the three vacancies should be filled by holding a common election as the elections to the Rajya Sabha are held under the system of proportional representation.  The Hon’ble Delhi High Court, however, dismissed the petition, by its order dated 14th January,  1994, holding, inter alia, as follows:

          “We are of the view that once the seats have been divided into the three categories from the inception, the Respondents were right in holding separate elections for each category.  Now these three seats fall in three separate categories, so elections to these three seats have to be also separate”.

3.       In accordance with the law so laid down by the Delhi High Court, the aforesaid three seats, now due to fall vacant in the Rajya Sabha on 27th January, 2012 from the National Capital Territory of Delhi, will also be filled by holding three separate biennial elections to fill one seat each.

4.       The Election Commission has decided to hold the aforesaid three separate  biennial elections to the Council of States from the NCT of Delhi, in accordance with the following schedule :- 

1.

Issue of Notifications

 2nd January, 2012 (Monday)

2.

Last date of making nominations

 9th January, 2012 (Monday)

3.

Scrutiny of nominations

 10th January,  2012( Tuesday)

4.

Last date for withdrawal of candidatures

 12th January,  2012 (Thursday)

5.

Date of poll

 19th January,  2012 ( Thursday)

6.

Hours of poll

9.00 A.M. to 4.00 P.M

7.

Counting of Votes

 19th January,  2012 ( Thursday) at 5.00 PM

8.

Date before which election shall be completed

23rd January, 2012 (Monday)

                                                                                                         

 

Election Commission of India

New Delhi , 19th December , 2011

RM/

 

                                                                                             

 


(Release ID :79013)