Rajya Sabha bypoll in Madhya Pradesh set for November 12 after L Murugan resignation

Voting for the vacant Rajya Sabha seat from Madhya Pradesh will take place on November 12, 2026, the Election Commission of India announced on Thursday. Counting will follow immediately after polling concludes that evening.

The seat fell vacant after the resignation of former Union Minister L. Murugan. The formal notification setting the election process in motion will be issued on October 26, clearing the way for candidates to file their nomination papers.

Rajya Sabha bypoll schedule

The commission has laid out a tight administrative timeline to ensure a smooth and orderly contest in the state assembly.

Under the statutory rules governing indirect elections to the upper house, members of the Madhya Pradesh legislative assembly will cast their votes to elect the new representative. The entire election process across the state is scheduled to conclude formally by November 16.

Voting procedures and oversight

To preserve ballot integrity and prevent invalid markings, the poll panel directed that legislators must mark their preferences exclusively with integrated violet sketch pens supplied by the returning officer. Ballots marked with any other writing instrument will be rejected during counting.

The commission said it will deploy independent observers to monitor the proceedings in Bhopal. These observers will oversee every step, from the scrutiny of nomination papers to the close of counting, maintaining institutional transparency and administrative rigor throughout the exercise.

Filling the vacancy ensures Madhya Pradesh retains its full representation in the upper house of Parliament, maintaining uninterrupted legislative continuity as key national policy discussions progress in New Delhi.