16th Punjab Vidhan Sabha to elect five Rajya Sabha members

Ruchika M Khanna

Chandigarh, February 23

The 16th Punjab Vidhan Sabha, once it is constituted after the results are declared on March 10, will have the onerous task of immediately electing five members to represent the state in the Upper House.

Elections to the Rajya Sabha are due in early April, as the term of five of the seven Upper House members from the state will end on April 10. The term of Shwait Malik (BJP), Naresh Gujral (SAD), Partap Singh Bajwa (Congress), Shamsher Singh Dullo (Congress) and Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa (elected as an SAD representative, but he is now the chief of the breakaway group, SAD Sanyukt) is set to end.

The term of two other Rajya Sabha members from the state — Ambika Soni (Congress) and Balwinder Singh Bhunder (SAD) — will end in July.

Sources in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha have told The Tribune the Election Commission (EC) has started the electoral process, while the names of the Returning Officer and Assistant Returning Officer have been sent to the EC.

The elections will be held once the notification is issued soon after the Vidhan Sabha results are announced.

This election is unique because the state will be sending its representatives to the Upper House after a gap of six years; the last time it happened was in 2016.

The outgoing Vidhan Sabha did not get a chance to elect any member to the Rajya Sabha. Though Congress, BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) representatives in the Vidhan Sabha participated in the elections, Aam Aadmi Party legislators, which made its maiden entry in the Vidhan Sabha in 2017, did not get a chance to vote in its first term.

One-third of the Rajya Sabha members retire every two years. In Punjab, which remained under President’s Rule between 1985 and 1992, did not get a chance to send its representation every two years. It was in 1992 that all representatives were sent to the Upper House. Since then, the Rajya Sabha elections are held every six years and all members elected in one year.

This time, the Vidhan Sabha will vote for electing Rajya Sabha members, considering that the two-party system is no longer present.

Since 1997, the members have been elected unanimously, with the Congress and former SAD-BJP alliance sending their

representatives to the Upper House. With the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and BJP-led alliance also in the House, voting for electing Rajya Sabha members seems inevitable.

Other 2 MPs

The term of two other Rajya Sabha members from the state — Ambika Soni (Congress) and Balwinder Singh Bhunder (SAD) — will end in July. Elections to the Rajya Sabha are due in early April.

Upper house poll matrix

• The state will be sending its representatives to the RS after a gap of six years; the last time it happened was in 2016
• Since 1997, RS members have been elected unanimously, with the Congress and SAD-BJP sending their representatives
• This time, voting for electing members seems inevitable as the AAP and the BJP-led alliance will be part of the House