TMC MLAs told to be present at Assembly today

Kolkata: A day after the Panchayat polls in Bengal, the ruling Trinamool Congress is set to prepare for Rajya Sabha elections on Sunday. Trinamool Congress has asked its MLAs to be present at the state Assembly Sunday. Trinamool Congress candidates may file nominations for Rajya Sabha elections on July 12.

Trinamool Congress MLAs who will fail to come down to the city have been asked to be present at the Assembly on July 12.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) recently notified the date for holding biennial elections to the Council of States to fill the seats of 10 members retiring between July 28 and August 18, 2023.

The elections will be held on July 24 and the total election process should be completed by July 26.

Six among the 10 members of the Council of States are from West Bengal and they are all slated to retire on August 18. Five of them- Derek O Brien, Dola Sen, Susmita Dev, Shanta Chhetri and Sukhendu Sekhar Ray are from All India Trinamool Congress while Pradip Bhattacharjee is from Congress.

Bye-election to the Council of States from West Bengal is also scheduled to be held on July 24 as a vacancy has been created due to the resignation of Luizinho Faleiro.

This vacancy has been existing since April 11. Faleiro’s tenure was upto April 2, 2026.