Biennial polls to 37 Rajya Sabha seats on March 16

Biennial polls to 37 Rajya Sabha seats crossed 10 States, which are falling vacant connected antithetic dates successful April, volition beryllium held connected March 16, the Election Commission said connected Wednesday (February 18, 2026).

The States wherever seats are falling vacant are Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Assam, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Bihar.

How are elections to the Rajya Sabha held?

Only elected members of the State Legislative Assemblies tin ballot successful a Rajya Sabha election. The legislators nonstop a batch of caller members to the Upper House each 2 years for a six-year term. A 3rd of Members of Parliament successful the Rajya Sabha (which is simply a imperishable House and is not taxable to dissolution), from each State discontinue erstwhile successful 2 years and polls are held to capable up the vacancies.

Voting is by azygous transferable vote, arsenic the predetermination is held connected the rule of proportional representation.

Candidates fielded by governmental parties person to beryllium projected by astatine slightest 10 members of the Assembly oregon 10% of the party’s spot successful the House, whichever is less. For independents, determination should beryllium 10 proposers, each of whom should beryllium members of the Assembly.