New Delhi, Feb 18: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday announced the schedule for the biennial elections to the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) to fill 37 seats from 10 states.
Polling will be held on 16th March 2026 from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, with counting of votes scheduled the same day at 5:00 pm.
The term of office of 37 members of the Council of States elected from 10 States is due to expire in April 2026, and the elections will follow a structured timeline. The election process will commence with the issuance of notifications on 26 February 2026. The last date for filing nominations is 5th March 2026, followed by scrutiny on 6th March. Candidates can withdraw their nominations by 9th March.
The Commission has directed that only integrated violet sketch pens of pre-fixed specifications, provided by the Returning Officer, shall be used to mark preferences on the ballot papers, and no other pen will be permitted. To ensure free and fair elections, observers will be appointed to closely monitor the process.
Members retiring include prominent representatives from Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Telangana. Some of the notable members are Dr. Bhagwat Kishanrao Karad, Sharadchandra Govindrao Pawar, Mamata Mohanta, N.R. Elango, Saket Gokhale, Rameswar Teli, Amarendra Dhari Singh, Kavi Tejpal Singh Tulsi, Kiran Choudhry, Indu Bala Goswami, and Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi. The Commission has emphasized strict adherence to election guidelines and timely completion of all processes to uphold the integrity of the Rajya Sabha elections.
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