Bhubaneswar, Feb 20: The three Rajya Sabha candidates of Odisha have been elected unopposed as the Members of Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Parliament, declared the Election Commission today. 

The returning officer will hand over the certificates to Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Debasish Samantray and Subhasish Khuntia, the three winning candidates. 

The seats of Rajya Sabha members will fall vacant on April 3, 2024 with Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, BJD leaders Prasant Nanda and Amar Patnaik retiring from their six-year term. 

Read more: Odisha News

Former BJD MLA Debasish Samantray and BJD party leader Subhasish Khuntia had filed their nomination papers on February 13 in the presence of Chief Minister Naveen Pattnaik and other dignitaries of BJD party. 

Later Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw filed his nomination on February 15, the last date of filing of nomination in the presence of state BJP President Manmohan Samal.