Bypolls to 3 Rajya Sabha seats in Bengal on July 24; NDA tally set to rise

All three of the former MPs resigned from their membership and left the party in June, amid the larger tussle within the party.

2 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Jul 6, 2026 07:06 PM IST

With the BJP winning the West Bengal Assembly elections earlier this year, these bypolls are set to increase the party’s numbers in the Rajya Sabha as well. (Source: File)

With the Government apparently considering introduction of a fresh constitutional amendment Bill to advance women’s reservation along with the Delimitation Bill and also set the ball rolling for the ‘One Nation, One Election’ Bills during the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament, starting July 20, the Election Commission on Monday announced bypolls to three Rajya Sabha seats from West Bengal which fell vacant after three TMC MPs resigned last month.

With the former chief minister Mamata Banerjee-led TMC faction reeling under rebellion with 60 of her 80 MLAs breaking away, the BJP is likely to win all three seats.

Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, Sushmita Dev and Prakash Chik Baraik, who were all elected to the Rajya Sabha on TMC tickets, resigned from the House and exited the party in June, amid turmoil in the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool faction following the debacle in the Assembly elections. While Ray and Baraik’s terms were until August 8, 2029, Dev’s term was to end on April 2, 2030.

Announcing the bypoll schedule, the EC said that nominations can be filed from Tuesday until July 14, followed by scrutiny of nominations on July 15 and the last date of withdrawal of candidature on July 17. Counting will be held on July 24 in the West Bengal Assembly.

The BJP currently has 114 MPs in Rajya Sabha, and if the party pulls off wins in all three seats, the tally would climb to 117, consequently taking the NDA strength in the 245-member Upper House to 155, just nine short of the two-thirds mark of 164, if all members are present and voting — a requirement for the passage of a constitutional amendment Bill.

In the Lok Sabha, however, the NDA is still 41 short of the two-thirds mark.

Rajya Sabha members are elected by members of the Assembly through the system of proportional representation by a single, transferable vote. A formula is used to calculate the quota required for a candidate to win. In the 294-seat West Bengal Assembly, the quota for the state according to the formula will be 74. With the TMC splitting just after the Assembly elections, it is very likely that the BJP will win all three seats.

Vikas Pathak

Vikas Pathak is deputy associate editor with The Indian Express and writes on national politics. He has over 17 years of experience, and has worked earlier with The Hindustan Times and The Hindu, among other publications. He has covered the national BJP, some key central ministries and Parliament for years, and has covered the 2009 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls and many state assembly polls. He has interviewed many Union ministers and Chief Ministers. Vikas has taught as a full-time faculty member at Asian College of Journalism, Chennai; Symbiosis International University, Pune; Jio Institute, Navi Mumbai; and as a guest professor at Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi. Vikas has authored a book, Contesting Nationalisms: Hinduism, Secularism and Untouchability in Colonial Punjab (Primus, 2018), which has been widely reviewed by top academic journals and leading newspapers. He did his PhD, M Phil and MA from JNU, New Delhi, was Student of the Year (2005-06) at ACJ and gold medalist from University Rajasthan College in Jaipur in graduation. He has been invited to top academic institutions like JNU, St Stephen’s College, Delhi, and IIT Delhi as a guest speaker/panellist. ... Read More

Damini Nath

Damini Nath is an Assistant Editor with the national bureau of The Indian Express. She covers the housing and urban affairs and Election Commission beats. She has 11 years of experience as a reporter and sub-editor. Before joining The Indian Express in 2022, she was a reporter with The Hindu’s national bureau covering culture, social justice, housing and urban affairs and the Election Commission. Expertise Key Coverage Areas: Damini Nath currently specializes in reporting on two crucial beats: Housing and Urban Affairs: Providing in-depth analysis and reporting on India's urban development, policy, and housing issues. Election Commission (EC): Offering authoritative coverage of electoral processes, policies, and the functioning of India's constitutional body responsible for conducting elections. Professional Background: Her extensive experience includes roles as a reporter and sub-editor, demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of the journalistic process from fieldwork to final production. Previous Role: Before joining The Indian Express in 2022, she served as a dedicated reporter with The Hindu’s national bureau, where her reporting portfolio included: Culture Social Justice Housing and Urban Affairs The Election Commission beat (a consistent area of focus). Trustworthiness Damini Nath's decade-plus career at two of India's most respected and authoritative news institutions, The Indian Express and The Hindu, underscores her commitment to factual, impartial, and high-quality reporting, establishing her as a trusted and credible source for news on urban governance and electoral matters. ... Read More

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