Kerala High Court on Monday directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to conduct the election for the three Rajya Sabha Seats, which will fall vacant due to the retirement of three MPs on April 21, before the announcement of recently held Assembly election result.
Justice P V Asha while directing the ECI also made it clear that the current members of Kerala Legislative Assembly will have the right to vote.
The election to the upper house in Parliament has to be held as three Rajya Sabha MPs from Kerala– Abdul Wahab (IUML), K K Ragesh (CPI-M) and Vayalar Ravi (Congress)– are set to retire on April 21.
The Court order came on appeals filed by the legislative assembly Secretary and the ruling CPI-M legislator S Sarma.
Both had challenged the decision of EC to keep in abeyance the proceedings for the election which was to be held on April 12.
Later the Election Commission had announced that the pre-election formalities would be kept in abeyance following a communication received from the Union Ministry of Law and Justice.