Election Commission sets countdown in motion for Rajya Sabha biennial elections spanning ten states, with several political heavyweights heading for retirement
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced biennial elections for 37 Rajya Sabha seats across ten states, with polling confirmed for March 16 between 9 am and 4 pm, and vote counting commencing at 5 pm the same evening.
The vacancies span Maharashtra (7), Tamil Nadu (6), West Bengal (5), Bihar (5), Odisha (4), Assam (3), Haryana (2), Chhattisgarh (2), Telangana (2), and Himachal Pradesh (1) all seats falling vacant in April 2026.
Among the notable figures due to retire are Nationalist Congress Party patriarch Sharad Pawar, Union Minister Ramdas Athawale, Congress stalwart Abhishek Manu Singhvi, TMC’s Saket Gokhale, and Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh.
The ECI has outlined a firm electoral calendar: notifications issue February 26, nominations close March 5, scrutiny follows March 6, withdrawal deadline is March 9, and the entire process concludes by March 20.
The Commission has also mandated exclusive use of violet sketch pens supplied by Returning Officers for marking ballot preferences, with independent observers deployed to ensure procedural integrity.
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