ECI announces Rajya Sabha bypolls for Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu seats
Synopsis
The Election Commission has called Rajya Sabha bypolls for two seats vacated by high-profile resignations — Sunetra Ajit Pawar from Maharashtra and AIADMK's C.Ve. Shanmugam from Tamil Nadu. With polling on 18 June and both seats running until 2028, the contests could signal shifting political equations in two of India's most consequential states.
Key Takeaways
The Election Commission of India announced Rajya Sabha bypolls on 22 May for two casual vacancies from Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu .
Sunetra Ajit Pawar resigned on 6 May ; her term was to last until 4 July 2028 .
Shanmugam resigned on 7 May ; his term was to continue until 29 June 2028 .
Polling is scheduled for 18 June 2025 between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm IST ; counting begins at 5:00 pm the same day.
Election notification will be issued on 1 June ; the last date for nominations is 8 June .
Only violet-coloured sketch pens provided by the Returning Officer will be permitted for ballot marking.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday, 22 May announced bye-elections to fill two casual vacancies in the Rajya Sabha, arising from the resignations of sitting members from Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. The poll schedule, notified through an official press release, sets a completion deadline of 20 June 2025.
The Two Vacancies
The first seat fell vacant after Sunetra Ajit Pawar resigned from the Upper House on 6 May; her term was originally scheduled to run until 4 July 2028. The second vacancy was created by the resignation of C.Ve. Shanmugam on 7 May, whose term was to continue until 29 June 2028. Both departures are classified as casual vacancies, requiring bypolls to ensure uninterrupted state representation in the Council of States.
Full Election Schedule
The ECI has set the election notification date as 1 June. Candidates must file nominations by 8 June, with scrutiny scheduled for 9 June. The last date for withdrawal of nominations is 11 June. Polling will be conducted on Thursday, 18 June, between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm IST, with vote counting beginning at 5:00 pm on the same day. The entire process is to be completed by Saturday, 20 June.
Voting Procedure and Conduct Rules
The Commission has specified that only integrated violet-coloured sketch pens of a pre-fixed specification — supplied by the Returning Officer — will be permitted for marking preferences on ballot papers. No other writing instrument will be allowed under any circumstances. The ECI has also directed the deployment of observers to monitor the electoral process and ensure that elections are conducted in a free, fair, and transparent manner.
Why These Bypolls Matter
Rajya Sabha bypolls following mid-term resignations are relatively uncommon and often carry political significance. Sunetra Ajit Pawar is the wife of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, making her seat a closely watched contest in the state's shifting political landscape. The Tamil Nadu vacancy left by C.Ve. Shanmugam, a veteran leader of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), adds another layer of interest given the party's ongoing realignment. Both seats will be filled only for the remaining duration of the original terms — until 2028 — rather than full six-year tenures.
The bypolls will be watched as a barometer of legislative arithmetic in two politically significant states, with results expected on 18 June itself.
Point of View
And both these cases underline that. Sunetra Ajit Pawar's exit — after a short tenure — reflects the turbulence within the Ajit Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party following the Maharashtra assembly election cycle. C.Ve. Shanmugam's departure signals continued churn within the AIADMK as the party recalibrates ahead of 2026. The ECI's swift scheduling — polling within four weeks of the announcement — is procedurally sound, but the real story is what these vacancies reveal about the fragility of Upper House commitments when ground-level political calculations shift.
NationPress
8 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are Rajya Sabha bypolls being held for Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu?
The bypolls were triggered by the mid-term resignations of Sunetra Ajit Pawar (Maharashtra) on 6 May and C.Ve. Shanmugam (Tamil Nadu) on 7 May. The Election Commission is filling these casual vacancies to ensure both states retain representation in the Rajya Sabha for the remainder of the original terms, which run until 2028.
When is the Rajya Sabha bypoll polling date?
Polling for both seats is scheduled on Thursday, 18 June 2025 , from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm IST. Vote counting will begin at 5:00 pm on the same day, with the full process to be completed by 20 June.
What is the nomination and withdrawal schedule for the bypolls?
The election notification will be issued on 1 June . The last date to file nominations is 8 June , scrutiny takes place on 9 June , and candidates may withdraw until 11 June .
Who are Sunetra Ajit Pawar and C.Ve. Shanmugam?
Sunetra Ajit Pawar is the wife of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and was a Rajya Sabha member whose term was to run until July 2028. C.Ve. Shanmugam is a senior AIADMK leader from Tamil Nadu whose Upper House term was to continue until June 2028.
Are there any special voting rules for these Rajya Sabha bypolls?
Yes. The Election Commission has mandated that voters use only the integrated violet-coloured sketch pens of a pre-fixed specification provided by the Returning Officer to mark preferences on ballot papers. Use of any other pen is strictly prohibited. Observers will also be deployed to ensure free and fair conduct.
