New Delhi: A key contest is on today (Jun 28, 2004) for the biennial elections to nine of 65 vacancies in Rajya Sabha with controversial transparent voting system, a bone of contention in a petition before the Supreme Court, being employed.

Already 56 candidates have been elected unopposed in the elections. Five candidates are in the fray in Karnataka for four Rajya Sabha seats where a Congress candidate has to get votes of other parties to secure victory.

In Madhya Pradesh, four candidates are in the fray for three seats. In Haryana, a stiff contest is on with INLD'S (Indian National Lok Dal) Ajay Chautala, Congress' Kiran Chaudhary and independent candidate and National Minorities Commission chairman Tarlochan Singh being in the fray for two RS seats. The new open balloting system for the Rajya Sabha has provided some cushion to political parties against cross voting by their members.

Under the new system, MLAs of a particular party have to show their ballot papers to their party representative before dropping it in the ballot box.

Giving partial relief, the Supreme Court on June nine lifted its stay on the election to 65 seats and allowed the Election Commission to go ahead with conducting the polls. However, a rider was put.

The apex Court said the election of 65 members to the House of Elders would be subject to the Court's final decision on petition challenging the amended electoral law allowing open ballot system and doing away with domicile status of the candidates.