The Election Commission has decided to hold bypolls to eight Rajya Sabha seats, including the four in Karnataka, on June 26. Bye-elections to four seats in Karnataka have been necessitated following retirement of senior Congress members Janardhana Poojary, Prema Cariappa and M V Rajashekaran and also Vijay Mallya, of the Janata Party. Elections to the seats could not be held earlier due to non-existence of the Electoral College which is the state assembly.
Polls to three casual vacancies -- one each in Bihar, Nagaland and West Bengal will also be held on the same day. In Bihar, bypolls will be held to fill the vacancy caused by the
disqualification of Bharatiya Janata Party member