ECI seeks West Bengal govt's response over elections to two Rajya Sabha seats

By Joymala Bagchi
New Delhi [India], July 2 : Election commission of India on Friday sought a response from the West Bengal government over elections to two Rajya Sabha seats.
Two Rajya Sabha seats which were earlier being held by Dinesh Trivedi and Manas Bhuiyan lie vacant.
Manas Bhunia, who is now state water resources minister, stepped down from his Rajya Sabha seat. In February former Trinamool Congress MP Dinesh Trivedi announced his resignation from the Rajya Sabha seat after saying that he felt suffocated.
It is also to be noted that the state's chief electoral officer has written to ECI regarding the pending by-elections.
Significantly, by-elections are important as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the finance minister Dr Amit Mitra is currently non-MLAs and needs to get elected within six months i.e. November 5 to continue as MLA or as CM.
The first Assembly session of West Bengal after the assembly elections begins today.