Puri, 74, is a former Indian Foreign Service officer who served as the country's permanent representative to the United Nations from 2009 to 2013. (File Photo)

Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri was formally declared elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh on Thursday.

Puri, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate for the by-election to the vacant Rajya Sabha seat, was declared elected after the nomination papers of two other candidates were rejected during scrutiny, leaving him as the sole candidate in the contest.

Returning Officer Umesh Kumar Sharma issued the certificate, under Form 24 of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, which states that Puri was elected to the Council of States by the elected members of the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly.

With Puri not being physically present on the occasion, BJP state president Hemant Khandelwal received the certificate from the Returning Officer on the Assembly premises.…