Election Commission issues notification for polls in Himachal Pradesh, fate of 3 Independent MLAs uncertain

Himachal Pradesh Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania has not yet accepted the resignations of the three Independent MLAs who joined the BJP.

Hoshyar Singh from the Dehra constituency, Ashish Sharma from Hamirpur and K L Thakur from Nalagarh are the three Independent MLAs who resigned on March 27. (Express)

The fate of three Independent Himachal Pradesh MLAs whose resignations are yet to be accepted by the Speaker remained uncertain even as the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday issued notifications for Lok Sabha elections 2024 in all the four parliamentary constituencies in the state and bypolls in six Assembly seats.

Voting will be held on June 1 in the Mandi, Shimla (reserved for Scheduled Castes), Hamirpur, and Kangra Lok Sabha seats and the Dharamshala, Kutlehar, Badsar, Gagret, Lahaul-Spiti, and Sujanpur Assembly seats.

Hoshyar Singh from the Dehra constituency, Ashish Sharma from Hamirpur and K L Thakur from Nalagarh are the three Independent MLAs who resigned on March 27 and joined the BJP the next day. Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania has not yet accepted their resignations.

The Independent MLAs filed a petition with the Himachal Pradesh High Court seeking directions to Speaker Pathania to accept their resignations. On April 30, arguments regarding the matter were completed in the Himachal Pradesh High Court and the judgment was reserved.

A senior officer attached to the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Shimla, told The Indian Express, “Although three MLAs submitted their resignations, the three Assembly seats they won in the 2022 Assembly elections are still not deemed vacant. Their resignations were not accepted. Bypolls in these three seats will be held only if their resignations are accepted, and the Assembly secretary will inform the Election Commission of India (ECI) that the seats are vacant. It does not appear that this will happen in the near future. Moreover, the Speaker of had already initiated proceedings for disqualifying three MLAs citing the anti-defection law because they joined the BJP when their resignations were pending with him.”

When attempted to contact, Independent MLA Hoshyar Singh did not respond. Advocate Anshul Bansal, who is representing the three MLAs in the high court, said, “The arguments were completed, and the judgment is reserved.”

All three contested the 2022 Assembly polls as Independents after the BJP denied them tickets. However, when the Congress formed the government with 40 MLAs, they supported the government. Hoshyar Singh won the 2022 election with a margin of 3,877 votes from Dehra. Ashish Sharma won the election with a margin of 12,899 votes from Hamirpur. Thakur won from Nalagarh with a margin of 13,264 votes. Interestingly, Congress candidates came runner-up in all three seats.

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The six Assembly seats going to bypolls had fallen vacant following the disqualification of six rebel Congress MLAs: Sudhir Sharma, Devinder Singh Bhutto, Chaitanya Sharma, Rajinder Rana, Ravi Thakur and Inder Dutt Lakhanpal. They were disqualified for defying a party whip to be present in the Assembly and to vote for the ruling Congress during cut motions and the budget session. All the six had previously rebelled against the Congress and voted for BJP nominee Harsh Mahajan in the Rajya Sabha polls, leading to a political crisis in the ruling party.

With the disqualification of its six MLAs, the ruling Congress’s strength decreased from 40 to 34, including the Speaker. The BJP holds 25 seats in the 68-member Assembly.

Election schedule in Himachal Pradesh

As per the ECI press release, nominations can be filed from May 7 to May 14 between 11 am and 3 pm every day at designated locations and before designated returning officers/additional returning officers. May 14 will be the last date for filing nominations, May 15 for the scrutiny of nominations and May 17 will be the last date for the withdrawal of candidatures. The press release also stated that nominations will not be filed on May 11 and May 12 due to public holidays.

Saurabh Parashar

Saurabh Parashar is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, primarily responsible for the publication’s coverage of Himachal Pradesh. He is a seasoned journalist with over 17 years of experience in print media, specializing in crime, legal affairs, and investigative reporting. Professional Background Education: He holds a Master’s degree in Mass Communication from Guru Jambheshwar University of Science & Technology (Hisar) and a Law degree from Himachal Pradesh University (HPU), Shimla. This legal background significantly informs his reporting on complex judicial and administrative matters. Career Path: Before joining The Indian Express in 2017, he spent 12 years with The Times of India. Core Beats: His primary focus is the socio-political landscape of the hill state, with a specific emphasis on the environment, forest conservation, drug menace (specifically "Chitta"), affairs related to tribal and archaeology and the unique challenges of governance in high-altitude regions. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His recent reporting highlights the critical intersection of policy, law, and social safety in Himachal Pradesh: 1. "Himachal’s battle against Chitta: Why the border areas are most vulnerable" (Late 2025): An investigative look at the transit routes from Punjab and the impact on local youth. 2. "Shimla ropeway clears key hurdle as 820 trees face the axe :According to the Forest Survey of India’s 2021 assessment, 47.21 percent of Shimla’s 5,131 sq km geographical area is under forest cover (Nov 17, 2025). 3. "Himachal to handover 2.7427 ha of non-forest land for Shimla Ropeway: Given the land’s non-forest nature, RTDC and the state will not require permission from MoEFCC" (Nov 18, 2025) 4. "How the centuries-old Jodidara tradition is fading in Himachal’s Trans-Giri region: Jodidara: a form of fraternal polyandry—has long been part of Hatti tribal culture in the Trans-Giri region of Himachal Pradesh and adjoining Uttarakhand. It is believed to have evolved to prevent division of ancestral land and maintain unity among brothers in the harsh, mountainous terrain" (Aug 18, 2025) Legal & Agricultural Affairs "Kisan Sabha hails SC’s setting aside Himachal HC order to remove orchards from forest land" (Dec 18, 2025): Covering a major Supreme Court victory for farmers, where a High Court order to remove fruit-bearing apple orchards was overturned. "Himachal Cabinet nod to new tourism policy; focus on home-stays in tribal areas" (Dec 11, 2025): Detailing the legislative push to decentralize tourism and bring economic benefits to Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur. 3. Governance & Environment "Forest rights and development: Why Himachal is seeking more leeway from Centre" (Dec 19, 2025): Reporting on the legal hurdles faced by the state in infrastructure projects due to the Forest Conservation Act. "Cloudbursts and resilience: How Himachal’s remote villages are building back better" (Nov 2025): Following up on the long-term rehabilitation efforts after monsoon-related disasters. Crime especially cyber crimes, crypto currency etc: crypto currency: "Agents in uniform, motivational speeches, lavish parties: How a Himachal crypto con went unnoticed:A serial conman, a ‘Nelson Mandela Nobel Peace Award winner', and retired policemen got together to pull off a Rs 1,740-crore fraud" (Nov 10, 2023) Signature Beats Saurabh is recognized for his tenacious reporting on the state's drug epidemic. His deep familiarity with the topography and tribal culture of Himachal allows him to report from remote locations like Spiti, Pangi, Shillai, which are often overlooked by national media. His legal expertise makes him a primary choice for covering the Himachal Pradesh High Court on issues ranging from local body elections to environmental PILs. X (Twitter): @saurabh_prashar . ... Read More

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