KOCHI: The Election Commission (EC) on Friday informed the Kerala High Court that it has obtained a legal opinion from a senior lawyer suggesting to announce the election to the three vacant Rajya Sabha seats from Kerala after the constitution of the new legislative assembly. However, the commission is of the view that elections should be held in time.
When the petition filed by CPM MLA S Sarma and others seeking a directive to the commission to hold elections to three Rajya Sabha seats from Kerala during the term of the present legislative assembly, Deepu Lal Mohan, counsel for the commission submitted that it has decided to announce and notify the schedule of the election before the expiry of the term of the retiring members that is on April 21. According to the EC, the fixing of the schedule of the election is exclusively within the domain of the commission.