Chennai, Oct 22:
The by-election to fill the Rajya Sabha seat vacated by former Union Minister of State L Murugan will be held on November 12, the Election Commission of India has announced.
According to the election schedule, nominations can be filed from October 26 to November 2. Scrutiny of nominations will take place on November 3, while November 5 is the last date for withdrawal of candidatures. Polling will be held from 9 am to 4 pm on November 12, followed by counting at 5 pm the same day.
The vacancy arose after Murugan resigned from the Rajya Sabha, with his resignation being accepted with effect from October 14. He also stepped down as Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs. His Rajya Sabha term was originally due to end in April 2030.
Murugan, a senior BJP leader from Tamil Nadu, was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh in 2021 and was re-elected in 2024. Before joining the Union Council of Ministers in July 2021, he served as president of the BJP’s Tamil Nadu unit and as vice-chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes.
In his resignation letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Murugan said he wanted to return to grassroots organisational work and strengthen the BJP in Tamil Nadu ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. He said he wished to work closely with party workers and expand the party’s presence across the State.
The by-election will fill the vacancy in the Upper House created by his resignation. The outcome will determine who occupies the seat for the remainder of the term, which runs until April 2030.