Hardeep Puri's Rajya Sabha nomination from Madhya Pradesh accepted
Synopsis
Returning Officer Umesh Sharma overruled every Congress objection to Hardeep Singh Puri's Rajya Sabha nomination from Madhya Pradesh, declaring his Form 26 affidavit complete and legally valid. With the Congress-backed Independent's nomination also cancelled the same day, Puri's path to the upper house looks clear — unless a court steps in before the 12 November polling date.
Key Takeaways
Hardeep Singh Puri's Rajya Sabha nomination from Madhya Pradesh was accepted on 3 November 2026 after Returning Officer Umesh Sharma overruled all objections.
Congress leader Hemant Katare had challenged the completeness of Puri's mandatory Form 26 affidavit; the objection was found unsubstantiated.
The order confirmed no violation of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 was established.
Congress MLAs Hemant Katare and Atif Aqeel announced they would approach a court on 4 November , alleging a biased scrutiny process.
Congress-backed Independent candidate Rajkumar Lohani's nomination was cancelled on the same day; polling is scheduled for 12 November .
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri's nomination for the Rajya Sabha by-election from Madhya Pradesh was accepted on Tuesday, 3 November 2026, after Returning Officer Umesh Sharma rejected all objections raised against his candidature. The decision clears the way for Puri's Senate-upper-house run in a contest scheduled for 12 November.
What the Returning Officer Found
Puri had filed three nomination papers on 31 October. During scrutiny on Tuesday, objections were heard from Congress leader Hemant Katare, who had challenged the validity and completeness of Puri's mandatory Form 26 affidavit. After examining the documents and hearing Puri's response, the Returning Officer concluded that the allegations were not substantiated.
'The affidavit in Form 26 is found to be complete,' the order stated. It further noted that no violation of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, or any substantial defect warranting rejection had been established. 'The objections raised against the nomination paper are hereby overruled,' the order said.
Congress Vows Court Challenge
Congress MLAs Hemant Katare and Atif Aqeel rejected the ruling, alleging the scrutiny process was biased. They claimed to have submitted evidence of serious discrepancies in the nomination papers, but said their objections were dismissed without adequate consideration. Calling the decision 'an attack on democracy,' they announced plans to approach a court on Wednesday, 4 November.
The Seat and the Candidates
The by-election is being held to fill the Rajya Sabha seat vacated by Union Minister of State L. Murugan. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fielded Puri as its candidate, while the Congress backed Bhopal-based social activist Rajkumar Lohani as an Independent candidate. However, Lohani's nomination was cancelled on Tuesday, narrowing the field. 5 November is the last date for withdrawal of nominations.
What Comes Next
With Puri's nomination now formally valid, attention shifts to whether Congress's anticipated legal challenge gains traction before polling day on 12 November. The outcome of any court filing could influence the final contest, though the cancellation of the Congress-backed Independent's nomination already tilts the arithmetic in Puri's favour.
Point of View
But Congress's immediate vow to go to court signals this seat matters politically beyond its numbers. With Rajkumar Lohani's nomination simultaneously cancelled, the opposition has lost its candidate on the ground while escalating the fight to the judiciary — a classic squeeze play that rarely reverses electoral arithmetic but can cast a shadow on legitimacy. The by-election was triggered by L. Murugan's elevation, and the BJP's decision to field a Union Minister of Puri's profile for a state-quota Rajya Sabha seat underlines how seriously it takes upper-house arithmetic ahead of a busy legislative calendar. If Congress's court challenge fails to get a hearing before 12 November, the question becomes whether it moves to post-election petition territory.
NationPress
3 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Hardeep Singh Puri's Rajya Sabha nomination challenged?
Congress leader Hemant Katare challenged the validity and completeness of Puri's mandatory Form 26 affidavit during the scrutiny process on 3 November 2026. The Returning Officer, after examining the documents and hearing both sides, found the allegations unsubstantiated and the affidavit legally complete.
What is the Madhya Pradesh Rajya Sabha by-election about?
The by-election is being held to fill the Rajya Sabha seat vacated by Union Minister of State L. Murugan. The BJP has fielded Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, while the Congress-backed Independent candidate Rajkumar Lohani had his nomination cancelled on 3 November 2026.
When is polling scheduled for the Madhya Pradesh Rajya Sabha by-election?
Polling is scheduled for 12 November 2026. The last date for withdrawal of nominations is 5 November 2026.
What action has Congress announced following the acceptance of Puri's nomination?
Congress MLAs Hemant Katare and Atif Aqeel announced they would approach a court on 4 November 2026, alleging that the scrutiny process was biased and that evidence of discrepancies was dismissed without proper consideration. They described the decision as 'an attack on democracy.'
What happened to the Congress-backed candidate Rajkumar Lohani?
Rajkumar Lohani, a Bhopal-based social activist fielded by the Congress as an Independent candidate, had his nomination cancelled on Tuesday, 3 November 2026 — the same day Puri's nomination was formally accepted.
