**Executive Summary**
This notification issued by the Election Commission of India on June 1, 2026, designates Returning Officers and appoints Assistant Returning Officers for the biennial elections to the Council of States (Rajya Sabha). These appointments are made under the Representation of the People Act, 1951, in coordination with state governments following a Presidential notification. The directive is effective immediately to facilitate election proceedings across ten specified states.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Legal Authority and Purpose**
* The appointments are made in pursuance of Section 21 and sub-section (1) of Section 22 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
* The primary purpose is to conduct the biennial elections to the Council of States in respect of the notification published by the President of India on June 1, 2026.
* **Designation of Election Officials**
* **Returning Officers (ROs):** For each state listed, a specific senior official (typically a Secretary or Principal Secretary of the State Legislature) is designated as the Returning Officer.
* **Assistant Returning Officers (AROs):** One or more officials (such as Deputy Secretaries or Research Officers) are appointed to assist the Returning Officer in the performance of their functions.
* **Geographic Scope**
* The notification covers ten states: Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Rajasthan, Arunachal Pradesh, Karnataka, and Mizoram.
* **Specific Appointments by State (Representative Samples)**
* **Andhra Pradesh:** Smt. R. Vanitha Rani (RO); Dr. M. Akhil Kumar and Smt. P. Vijaya Kumari (AROs).
* **Gujarat:** Mr. Chetan Pandya (RO); Mr. M.H. Karangiya (ARO).
* **Rajasthan:** Shri Bharat Bhushan Sharma (RO); Shri Vinod Kumar Mishra (ARO).
* **Karnataka:** Smt. M. K. Vishalakshi (RO); Shri. B. S. Mahalingesh (ARO).
**Impact Analysis**
**Designated Returning Officers and Assistant Returning Officers**
**Impact**
These individuals are legally mandated to manage and oversee the conduct of the biennial elections to the Council of States within their respective jurisdictions.
**Action Required**
They must assume their duties immediately and perform all statutory functions required for the election process as per the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
**State Legislative Assemblies and Secretariats**
**Impact**
The administrative leadership of these bodies (Secretaries and Deputy Secretaries) is formally requisitioned for election duties.
**Action Required**
The secretariats must provide the necessary administrative support and infrastructure to allow the appointed officers to carry out their election-related responsibilities.
**Election Commission of India (ECI)**
**Impact**
The ECI establishes the formal administrative framework required to execute the biennial elections.
**Action Required**
The Commission will oversee and provide further directives to the appointed ROs to ensure the elections are held in accordance with the law.
Key Entities Referenced
Election Commission of India: The primary constitutional body responsible for appointing election officials and conducting elections for the Council of States.
Representation of the People Act, 1951: The legal framework cited (specifically Sections 21 and 22) as the authority for designating Returning Officers and Assistant Returning Officers.
Council of States (Rajya Sabha): The legislative body for which biennial elections are being held across multiple Indian states.
Returning Officer: The primary official designated by the Election Commission to manage and oversee the election process in each respective state.
Assistant Returning Officer: Officials appointed to support and assist the Returning Officer in the execution of election-related functions.
रजिस्ट्री स.ं डी.एल.- 33004/99 REGD. No. D. L.-33004/99
सी.जी.-डी.एल.-अ.-01062026-273017
xxxGIDHxxx
CG-DL-E-01062026-273017
xxxGIDExxx
असाधारण
EXTRAORDINARY
भाग II—खण् ड 3—उप-खण्ड (iii)
PART II—Section 3—Sub-section (iii)
प्राजधकार स ेप्रकाजित
PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY
स.ं 18] िई दिल्ली, सोमर्ार, ििू 1, 2026/ज्य ष्े ठ 11, 1948
No. 18] NEW DELHI, MONDAY, JUNE 1, 2026/JYAISTHA 11, 1948
भारत जिर्ाचा ि आयोग
अजधसचू िा
िई दिल्ली, 1 िूि, 2026
आ.अ. 18(अ).— लोक प्रजतजिजधत्र् अजधजियम, 1951 (1951 का 43) की धारा 21 के अिुसरण म ें एर् ं उक्त
अजधजियम की धारा 22 की उपधारा (1) द्वारा प्रित्त िजक्तयों का प्रयोग करत े हुए, जिर्ााचि आयोग, िीच े की सारणी के
स्ट्तम्भ (1) में जर्जिर्िाष्ट प्रत्येक राज्य सरकार के परामि ा से 01 िूि, 2026 को भारत के रािपत्र में प्रकाजित भारत के
राष्ट्रपजत की अजधसूचिा के अिसु रण म ेंउस राज्य में राज्य सभा के जलए होिे र्ाल ेजद्वर्ार्षाक जिर्ााचि के संबंध म ेंएतद्द्वारा-
(i) िीचे की सारणी के स्ट्तंभ (2) म ेंजर्जिर्िाष्ट अजधकारी को ररटर्िगिं ऑदिसर के रूप में पिाजभजहत करता है, तथा
(ii) उक्त सारणी के स्ट्तंभ (3) में जर्जिर्िाष्ट अजधकारी(यों) को ररटर्ििंग ऑदिसर के कृत्यों के जिष्पािि में सहायता के
जलए, सहायक ररटर्िगिं ऑदिसर के रूप में जियक्तु करता ह;ै
सारणी
राज्य ररटर्िगा आदिसर के रुप म ेंपिाजभजहत सहायक ररटर्िगा आदिसर के रुप म ेंजियक्तु अजधकारी
अजधकारी
(1) (2) (3)
आंध्र प्रिेि श्रीमती आर. र्जिता रािी, उप सजचर्, 1. डॉ. एम. अजखल कुमार, अिसु ंधाि अजधकारी,
आंध्र प्रिेि जर्धािमंडल सजचर्ालय आंध्र प्रिेि जर्धािमंडल सजचर्ालय
3875 GI/2026 (1)2 THE GAZETTE OF INDIA : EXTRAORDINARY [PART II—SEC. 3(iii)]
2. श्रीमती पी. जर्िया कुमारी, अिसु ंधाि अजधकारी,
आंध्र प्रिेि जर्धािमंडल सजचर्ालय
गुिरात श्री चेति पड्यं ा, सजचर्, गुिरात श्री एम. एच. करंजगया, उप सजचर्, गुिरात
जर्धािमंडल सजचर्ालय जर्धािमंडल सजचर्ालय
झारखण्ड श्री रंिीत कुमार, प्रभारी सजचर्, श्रीमती दकरण सुमि बाखला, उप सजचर्, झारखण्ड
झारखण्ड जर्धािसभा जर्धािसभा
मध्य प्रििे श्री अरवर्ंि िमाा, प्रमुख सजचर्, मध्य श्री उमेि कुमार िमाा, अपर सजचर्, मध्य प्रिेि
प्रिेि जर्धािसभा सजचर्ालय जर्धािसभा सजचर्ालय
मजणपुर श्री रोजहत सापम, सजचर्, मजणपुर श्री एल. धिश्याम वसंह, उप सजचर्, मजणपुर
जर्धािसभा जर्धािसभा
मेघालय श्री माल्थस एस. संगमा, एम.सी.एस., श्री रािा खारपरु ी, उप सजचर्, मेघालय जर्धािसभा
सजचर्, मेघालय जर्धािसभा
रािस्ट्थाि श्री भारत भूषण िमा,ा प्रमखु सजचर्, श्री जर्िोि कुमार जमश्रा, प्रमुख अिुसंधाि एर् ं सन्िभ ा
रािस्ट्थाि जर्धािसभा अजधकारी, रािस्ट्थाि जर्धािसभा
अरुणाचल प्रिेि श्रीमती तािार मीिा, सजचर्, अरुणाचल श्री लोंगमाि रोिरंग, उप सजचर्, अरुणाचल प्रििे
प्रिेि जर्धािसभा जर्धािसभा
किााटक श्रीमती एम. के. जर्िालाक्षी, सजचर्, श्री बी.एस. महावलगं ेि, जिििे क, किााटक जर्धाि
किााटक जर्धािसभा सभा
जमज़ोरम श्री िोथिसांगा राल्ते, आयुक्त एर् ंसजचर्, श्री लालथागं माजर्या, अपर सजचर्, जमज़ोरम
जमज़ोरम जर्धािसभा जर्धािसभा
[िा. सं. 318/रा.स.-मल्टी/2/2026(2)]
आिेि स,े
सुमि कुमार िास, सजचर्
ELECTION COMMISSION OF INDIA
NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the 1st June, 2026
O.N. 18(E).— In pursuance of Section 21, and in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section
(1) of Section 22, of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 (43 of 1951), the Election Commission, in
consultation with the Government of each of the States, specified in the column (1) of the TABLE below,
hereby-
(i) designates the officer, specified in the corresponding entry in column (2) of the said TABLE
to be the Returning Officer; and
(ii) appoints the officer(s), specified in the corresponding entry in column (3) of the said TABLE,
to be the Assistant Returning Officer(s) to assist the Returning Officer in the performance of
his/her functions;
in respect of the biennial election to the Council of States, to be held in that State in pursuance of the
notification of the President of India, published in the Gazette of India on 01st June, 2026: -[भाग II—खण् ड 3(iii)] भारत का रािपत्र : असाधारण 3
TABLE
States Returning Officer Assistant Returning Officer
(1) (2) (3)
Andhra Pradesh Smt. R. Vanitha Rani, Deputy 1. Dr. M. Akhil Kumar, Research Officer,
Secretary, Andhra Pradesh Legislature Andhra Pradesh Legislature Secretariat
Secretariat
2. Smt. P. Vijaya Kumari, Research Officer,
Andhra Pradesh Legislature Secretariat
Gujarat Mr. Chetan Pandya, Secretary, Gujarat Mr. M.H. Karangiya, Deputy Secretary,
Legislature Secretariat Gujarat Legislature Secretariat
Jharkhand Shri Ranjeet Kumar, Secretary-in- Smt. Kiran Suman Baxla, Deputy Secretary,
Charge, Jharkhand Legislative Jharkhand Legislative Assembly
Assembly
Madhya Shri Arvind Sharma, Principal Shri Umesh Kumar Sharma, Additional
Pradesh Secretary, Madhya Pradesh Legislative Secretary, Madhya Pradesh Legislative
Assembly Secretariat Assembly Secretariat
Manipur Shri Rohit Sapam, Secretary, Manipur Shri L. Dhanashyam Singh, Deputy
Legislative Assembly Secretary, Manipur Legislative Assembly
Meghalaya Shri Malthus S. Sangma, MCS, Shri Raja Kharpuri, Deputy Secretary,
Secretary, Meghalaya Legislative Meghalaya Legislative Assembly
Assembly
Rajasthan Shri Bharat Bhushan Sharma, Principal Shri Vinod Kumar Mishra, Principal
Secretary, Rajasthan Legislative Research & Reference Officer, Rajasthan
Assembly Legislative Assembly
Arunachal Smti. Tadar Meena, Secretary, Sh. Longman Ronrang, Deputy Secretary,
Pradesh Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly
Assembly
Karnataka Smt. M. K. Vishalakshi, Secretary, Shri. B. S. Mahalingesh, Director, Karnataka
Karnataka Legislative Assembly Legislative Assembly
Mizoram Shri Zothansanga Ralte, Commissioner Shri Lalthangmawia, Additional Secretary,
& Secretary, Mizoram Legislative Mizoram Legislative Assembly
Assembly
[F. No. 318/CS-Multi/2/2026(2)]
By order,
SUMAN KUMAR DAS, Secy.
Uploaded by Dte. of Printing at Government of India Press, Ring Road, Mayapuri, New Delhi-110064
and Published by the Controller of Publications, Delhi-110054.