Bhubaneswar, May 27 (BNP): The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced that the by-election to a Rajya Sabha seat from Odisha will be held on June 18 following the resignation of senior politician Debashish Samantaray, creating a vacancy in the Upper House of Parliament.

According to the election schedule, polling for the vacant Rajya Sabha seat will take place on June 18, while the counting of votes will be conducted on the same day. The process for filing nominations is expected to begin shortly as per the notification issued by the Election Commission.

The vacancy arose after Debashish Samantaray resigned from the Rajya Sabha, necessitating a by-election to fill the remaining term. His resignation has triggered political discussions over the possible nominee and the likely political equations surrounding the seat.

Given the current numerical strength of political parties in the Odisha Legislative Assembly, attention has now shifted to which party will field its candidate and whether there could be a consensus nominee or a contest for the seat.

Political observers believe the by-election may hold significance in shaping parliamentary representation from Odisha, while also reflecting broader political dynamics in the state ahead of future electoral developments.

With the election date now officially announced, political activity is expected to intensify in the coming days as parties weigh their options and begin consultations over candidate selection.

The by-election process is scheduled to conclude after the declaration of results on June 18.