Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has emerged as the sole candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha by-election in Madhya Pradesh. This development follows a scrutiny process by the Returning Officer, who disqualified the nomination papers of two independent candidates, Kante Sayanna and Rajkumar Lohani, while clearing the path for the Minister’s election.
The scrutiny process highlighted significant procedural shortcomings in the submissions of the two independent candidates. According to the official order, Kante Sayanna’s nomination was rejected due to his failure to secure the mandatory signatures of at least 10 elected members of the State Legislative Assembly, or 10 percent of its total strength, whichever requirement is lower. Meanwhile, Rajkumar Lohani’s candidature was invalidated because he failed to submit the essential Form 26 affidavit by the stipulated deadline of 3 pm on November 2.
While the path appears clear for Puri, the process has not been without controversy. The Congress party formally lodged objections regarding his candidature, alleging several legal and procedural discrepancies within his election affidavit. JP Dhanopia, the chief of the MP Congress Election Cell, claimed that the document contained significant errors, specifically citing the disclosure of asset valuations in foreign currencies without providing the necessary conversions into Indian rupees.
Furthermore, Congress MLA Hemant Katare raised concerns regarding the validity of the affidavit’s attestation and alleged that there were notable omissions in the financial and personal disclosures provided by the Minister. These objections, which invoked the provisions of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, urged the Returning Officer to conduct a thorough examination of the documents under the established legal framework.
Hardeep Singh Puri had formally filed his nomination on Saturday, with his campaign receiving support from prominent party figures, including Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and state BJP president Hemant Khandelwal. The BJP’s Central Election Committee had officially announced his candidacy for the vacant seat on October 28. The by-election was necessitated following the resignation of Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs L. Murugan, who stepped down from his position in the Upper House despite his term originally being scheduled to run until April 2030.
Despite the official scrutiny process favoring the Union Minister, the objections raised by the opposition highlight the intense political scrutiny surrounding the nomination process for the Upper House. The role of the Returning Officer remains critical in ensuring that all documentation adheres strictly to the Representation of the People Act and related election guidelines. While the rejection of the other candidates has effectively solidified the contest, the legal arguments presented by the Congress reflect the ongoing tension between the two primary political forces in the state.
The by-election for this lone vacant seat had been scheduled for November 12. With the field now narrowed down to a single candidate, the electoral procedure will likely move toward its next phase. As the situation evolves, the focus remains on the formal conclusion of the election process and the subsequent induction of the candidate into the Rajya Sabha to represent the state of Madhya Pradesh for the remainder of the vacated term.
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