Tripura RS bypolls for seat vacated by CM Manik Saha to be held on Sep 22: ECI

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday announced that the bypolls for the Rajya Sabha seat, which was vacated by the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Manik Saha after he became the chief minister of Tripura, will be held on September 22.

The last date for nomination for the polls is September 12, an ECI notification said adding that the counting of votes will take place post 5pm on the election day. The poll body also said that Covid-19 guidelines will be followed and should be implemented by the chief secretary of the state.

In May, Rajya Sabha MP Manik Saha was appointed as the chief minister of Tripura after Biplab Kumar Deb’s sudden resignation from the post. As per rules, Saha had to resign from the Rajya Sabha seat and win an assembly seat to continue as the chief minister. He quit Rajya Sabha on July 4, and, on June 26, won the assembly bypolls from the Town Bardowali seat by 6,104 votes against his nearest rival Asish Kumar Saha of the Congress party.

Saha’s six-year term as a member of the Upper House was to end on April 2, 2028.