ECI announces Rajya Sabha polls for 37 seats across 10 states on March 16
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "ECI announces Rajya Sabha polls for 37 seats across 10 states on March 16")
Rajya Sabha proceedings are underway during the Budget Session of the Parliament Photograph: (ANI)
Election Commission of India schedules March 16 Rajya Sabha polls for 37 seats in 10 states; counting same day as several senior leaders complete terms
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced biennial elections to fill 37 seats in the Rajya Sabha, with voting slated for March 16 and results to be declared later the same day. The vacancies are distributed across 10 states: Maharashtra (7 seats), Odisha (4), Tamil Nadu (6), West Bengal (5), Assam (3), Bihar (5), Chhattisgarh (2), Haryana (2), Himachal Pradesh (1), and Telangana (2). The terms of the sitting members from these constituencies are due to end in April 2026.
Several high-profile leaders are among those completing their tenure, including Sharad Pawar, Union minister Ramdas Athawale, Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Saket Gokhale of the Trinamool Congress, and Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh. These seats were last up for election in 2020. During that cycle, the Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies performed strongly in states such as Assam, Bihar, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh.
In Maharashtra, representation was divided among the BJP, the then-undivided Shiv Sena, the undivided Nationalist Congress Party, and the Congress. The DMK-led alliance dominated in Tamil Nadu, while the Trinamool Congress maintained its edge in West Bengal. In Odisha, the Biju Janata Dal secured key wins. As per the ECI’s timeline, the official notification will be issued on February 26. Candidates can submit their nominations until March 5, with scrutiny scheduled for March 6. The deadline for withdrawal is March 9. Voting will be conducted between 9 am and 4 pm on March 16, and counting will commence at 5 pm. The entire process is expected to conclude by March 20.
The Commission has laid down specific voting guidelines, instructing electors to use only the pre-approved integrated violet sketch pens provided by the Returning Officer to indicate their preferences on ballot papers. No other writing instrument will be permitted. Observers will also be deployed to oversee the conduct of the elections and ensure adherence to established norms. The final results will hinge on the current strength of parties in the respective state legislative assemblies, potentially leading to minor shifts in the composition of the Upper House.
Trending Stories
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
