Jaipur, Mar 24 (IANS): The March 26 elections to three Rajya Sabha seats in Rajasthan have been deferred in the wake of coronavirus epidemic, according to the Election Commission officials on Tuesday.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress have fielded two candidates each for the three seats.

While the Congress has fielded AICC General Secretary K.C. Venugopal and PCC General Secretary Neeraj Dang, the BJP has fielded Rajendra Gehlot and Omkar Singh Lakhawat.

Due to Covid-19 epidemic, there has been no political activities in the recent days and the offices of the BJP and the Congress, here, are shut.

On the EC decision, state Congress chief and Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot said deferring of elections were required in the present circumstance.

State BJP chief Satish Poonia said the Election Commission had taken the right decision. The presence of over 200 MLAs alongwith hundreds of staff members at one place would have posed a threat, he said.