Hardeep Singh Puri set to enter Rajya Sabha unopposed after RO rejects objections

Returning officer (RO) for the by-election, Umesh Kumar Sharma, passed an order on Tuesday after scrutinising the papers

Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri is set to be elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha after the nomination papers of two independent candidates, along with objections raised by them and the Congress against his nomination, were rejected on Tuesday.

Returning officer (RO) for the by-election, Umesh Kumar Sharma, passed an order on Tuesday after scrutinising the papers.

According to the order, three sets of nomination papers were filed by Hardeep Singh Puri on October 31.

During scrutiny, which took place at 2pm on Tuesday, objections regarding the nomination’s validity were raised by independent candidates Kante Sayanna and Rajkumar Lohani, and the deputy leader of the opposition in the state assembly Hemant Katare.

The objectors specifically contended that the affidavit in Form-26 submitted by the candidate was invalid and incomplete.

RO rejects objections against Hardeep Puri's nomination

The RO heard the objectors and also gave the candidate an opportunity to respond.

“Upon careful examination of the objections and the material available on record, the grounds raised therein were not found to be substantiated. No violation of the mandatory requirements of sections 33 and 34 of the RP Act, 1951 [Representation of the People Act] or any ground for rejection under section 36(2) of the Act, was established. The nomination paper and the accompanying documents are found to be in conformity with the applicable statutory requirement,” Sharma said.

Also Read:₹34-crore Geneva apartment: RS bypoll affidavit">Hardeep Puri’s wife wealthier than him, owns ₹34-crore Geneva apartment: RS bypoll affidavit

The order further stated that the affidavit in Form 26 and the relevant electoral roll particulars were duly examined and found to be complete. No defect of a substantial character warranting rejection under section 36(4) was found.

In view of the findings, the RO overruled the objections and accepted all three nomination papers of Hardeep Singh Puri as valid under section 36 of the RP Act, 1951.

The by-election is being held for the Rajya Sabha seat from Madhya Pradesh.

Congress leader Hemant Katare threatens legal action

“We will move to the court against it as this was a conspiracy to ensure the win of Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri,” Hemant Katare said.

Sharma also said that the nomination papers of two independent candidates were rejected. “The independent candidate Rajkumar Lohani was rejected during scrutiny because the mandatory Form 26 was not attached. Additionally, the nomination paper of a third candidate, Kante Sayanna, was also rejected due to incomplete information,” Sharma said.

I have spent over a decade chronicling Madhya Pradesh’s political and social landscape, covering politics, investigative journalism, crime, human interest, and government policy, blending sharp insight with ground‑level depth. I have closely tracked three assembly elections, three Lok Sabha elections, leadership transitions in MP while exposing governance lapses, tender irregularities, and flawed policy rollouts. My reports have revealed gaps in the Cheetah project, irregularities in medical education, rigging in recruitment exams, and loopholes in policy implementation. In crime reporting, I have moved beyond FIRs to map systemic patterns — from organised crime networks and gender‑based violence to custodial accountability — balancing urgency with sensitivity. My journalism is defined by a commitment to human interest. I have profiled the marginalised Bancchda community, documented atrocities against tribal groups, and highlighted efforts to preserve their culture through heritage liquor and revival of spiritual practices. I have reported on farmers struggling with failed MSP promises, giving voice to those often reduced to statistics in policy files. Passionate about field reporting, I have reported on rampant sand mining in Chambal and Narmada, pharmaceutical companies supplying medicines under altered names, the dire condition of schools and colleges, the plight of commercial sex workers, and skewed sex ratios in specific districts. Beyond deadlines, and as HT’s state correspondent and assistant editor in Madhya Pradesh, I engage with ministers, farmers, students, and activists, believing the best policy stories begin with a single human voice. A postgraduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, I also hold a diploma in sports journalism.Read More