NEW DELHI: Union minister Hardeep Puri is set to win the upcoming Rajya Sabha bypoll unopposed from Madhya Pradesh after the nomination papers filed by two candidates were rejected by the returning officer.According to news agency PTI, the nominations of Congress-backed candidates Rajkumar Lohani and Kante Sayanna were rejected on the last day of scrutiny.Meanwhile, the two independent candidates, along with Congress leader Hemant Katare, also objected to Puri’s nomination papers, contending that his affidavit in Form 26 was invalid and incomplete.However, returning officer Umesh Sharma examined the objections and held that Puri had not violated any requirements of the Representation of the People Act.“No defect was found in Puri’s papers,” the returning officer said in his order.Congress termed the order an “attack on Indian democracy” and said it would move court against it.“This is an attack on Indian democracy. Despite such significant errors, the nomination was not rejected,” Katare and Congress MLA Atif Aqeel said in a statement.
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The bypoll was necessitated by the resignation of former Union minister L Murugan, who vacated the seat on October 14. His term in the Rajya Sabha was originally scheduled to end on April 2, 2030.The Election Commission announced the schedule for the bypoll on October 22.According to the schedule, the notification for the election will be issued on October 26. The last date for filing nominations is November 2, while scrutiny will take place on November 3. Candidates can withdraw their nominations until November 5.
