Bihar MLC polls: Elections for 10 seats to be held on June 18

The Election Commission has announced the schedule for elections to a total of 10 seats in the Bihar Legislative Council. Elections will be held for nine seats, while a by-election will be conducted for one vacant seat.

The by-election will be held for the Bihar Legislative Council seat that fell vacant following the resignation of former Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Meanwhile, the terms of nine sitting members of the Bihar Legislative Council are set to expire on June 28, necessitating elections for those seats as well.

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All these seats will be filled through the MLA quota.

According to the schedule released by the Election Commission, the nomination process will take place from June 1 to June 8. The last date for withdrawal of nominations is June 11. If required, voting will be held on June 18, followed by counting of votes and declaration of results later the same day.

There is strong speculation that Nishant Kumar may be fielded as a candidate for the seat vacated by Nitish Kumar following his election to the Rajya Sabha.

One seat is also likely to go to Upendra Kushwaha’s party, the Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM), as his son was inducted as a minister despite not being a member of either House of the legislature. Under constitutional provisions, he must get elected as an MLA or MLC within six months.

Meanwhile, Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi has once again increased pressure on the BJP. Soon after the announcement of the Bihar MLC elections, Manjhi demanded one seat for his party, Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM), within the NDA alliance. He said allotting an MLC seat to his party would further strengthen the alliance.