The Election Commission of India on Friday announced that it has decided to hold on September 11 by-elections to the Council of States from Uttar Pradesh to fill up a casual vacancy following the demise of Rajya Sabha MP Amar Singh. The scrutiny of nominations will take place on September 2 and the last date for withdrawal ofcandidature is September 4. "The Chief Secretary, Uttar Pradesh is being directed to depute a senior officer from the State to ensure that the extant instructions regarding COVID-19 containment measures are complied with while making arrangements for conducting the election," the press note said. Rajya Sabha MP and former Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh, 64, had passed away on August 1. He was undergoing treatment at a hospital in Singapore for several months.

Source: dna August 21, 2020 08:37 UTC