EC announces bypolls for 3 Bengal RS seats, BJP likely to win all
Times of India | 7 July 2026
Kolkata: The EC on Monday announced bypolls to three Rajya Sabha seats from Bengal, setting July 24 as the polling date. This comes following the resignation of three former Trinamool members -- Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, Sushmita Dev and Prakash Chik Baraik -- from the RS. With 207 MLAs, BJP is likely to win all three seats. This would mean NDA taking its RS seat tally to 152. The alliance needs 164 seats to have two-thirds majority in the Upper House.
Bengal has 16 Rajya Sabha seats, and three of them are held by BJP’s Samik Bhattacharya, Rahul Sinha and Anant Maharaj.
Ray, Dev and Baraik resigned amid revolt within Trinamool after the Bengal election results. Following his resignation, Baraik publicly praised CM Suvendu Adhikari, while Dev met Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma. Ray was seen meeting former Trinamool MPs who have since joined a new political platform. Ray’s term was until Aug 18, 2029, and so was Baraik’s, while Dev’s term was until April 2, 2030. The newly elected MPs will serve the remainder of the terms.
“Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee organised a number of relief camps for famine-affected people in Bengal. In a letter dated Oct 5, 1943, to my father, he had to cancel a north Bengal visit with my father due to relief work for the man-made famine,” Ray said on Monday, sharing a photograph and a letter of Mookerjee on X.
According to the EC schedule, notifications will be issued on Tuesday, and nominations for the bypolls can be filed until July 14. Scrutiny of nomination papers will take place on July 15. The last date for withdrawal of nominations is July 17. Polling will be held between 9am and 4pm on July 24, with counting scheduled to begin at 5pm the same day.
If BJP fields only three candidates in the elections, they will win without an election. Even in the presence of candidates from opposition, BJP is all set to win three seats, political observers said, referring to the provisions of sections 147 to 151 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.