RS polls: Spl observers in 4 states, polling to be videographed says CEC

Amid allegations of attempts at horse-trading in the Rajya Sabha elections in four states, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Thursday said special observers have been appointed to oversee the poll process which will be videographed.

Bienniel elections to 57 Rajya Sabha seats were announced recently and all 41 candidates in Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Punjab, Telangana, Jharkhand and Uttarakhand were declared elected unopposed last Friday.

However, elections will be held for 16 seats of Haryana, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Karnataka on Friday as the number of candidates exceeds the seats going to the polls.

Taking questions after announcing the schedule for the presidential election, Kumar said ''We have appointed special observers in all the four places (states). The entire process will be videographed.'' Seeking to keep their flock together, major political parties have corralled their MLAs in hotels and resorts, amid accusations of attempts at poaching.