Bhopal, November 3, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri’s nomination for the Rajya Sabha by-election from Madhya Pradesh was accepted on Tuesday after the Returning Officer rejected all objections raised against his candidature.
The decision followed a hearing on objections submitted by Congress leader Hemant Katare, who had questioned the validity and completeness of Puri’s mandatory Form 26 affidavit.
According to the order issued by Returning Officer Umesh Sharma, Puri had filed three nomination papers on October 31. The objectors were heard during scrutiny on Tuesday, and Puri was given an opportunity to respond.
After examining the objections and documents, the Returning Officer held that the allegations were not substantiated and that the affidavit met the legal requirements.
“The affidavit in Form 26 is found to be complete,” the order stated, adding that no violation of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, or substantial defect warranting rejection of the nomination had been established. The objections were accordingly overruled and Puri’s nomination accepted as valid.
Reacting to the decision, Congress MLAs Hemant Katare and Atif Aqeel said they would approach the court on Wednesday, alleging bias in the scrutiny process. They claimed that evidence of serious discrepancies had been submitted but their objections were rejected.
The by-election is being held to fill the Rajya Sabha seat vacated by Union Minister of State L. Murugan. The BJP has fielded Puri, while the Congress backed Bhopal-based social activist Rajkumar Lohani as an Independent candidate. Lohani’s nomination was cancelled on Tuesday.
Polling is scheduled for November 12, while November 5 is the last date for withdrawal of nominations.
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