Rajya Sabha Election Dates Announced as 37 Seats Across 10 States Set to be Vacated

The Election Commission of India on Wednesday announced that elections to 37 Rajya Sabha seats across 10 States will be held on March 16.

These seats are set to fall vacant on April 2 and April 9. The poll notification will be issued on February 26, the commission said. Voting will take place between 9 am and 4 pm, while counting will begin at 5 pm on the same day, in line with established procedure for biennial Rajya Sabha elections.

Which States Are Going to Polls?

A total of 37 seats across 10 States are due for retirement in April. This includes Maharashtra (7 seats), Odisha (4 seats), Telangana (2 seats), Tamil Nadu (6 seats), Chhattisgarh (2 seats), West Bengal (5 seats), Assam (3 seats), Haryana (2 seats), Himachal Pradesh (1 seat), and Bihar (5 seats).

These vacancies arise as part of the biennial retirement cycle of the Upper House, where one-third of members from each State complete their six-year term every two years. The Rajya Sabha is a permanent House and is not subject to dissolution.

Prominent MPs Set to Retire

Among the notable Members of Parliament completing their tenure are Sharad Pawar, Abhishek Singhvi, Saket Gokhale, Ramdas Athawale, M Thambidurai and Tiruchi Siva.

Their retirement marks a significant churn in the composition of the Upper House, especially in politically crucial States such as Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. The outcome of these elections will depend on the current strength of political parties in the respective State Legislative Assemblies.

How Are Rajya Sabha Elections Conducted?

Only elected members of State Legislative Assemblies are eligible to vote in a Rajya Sabha election. Elections are held on the principle of proportional representation through the single transferable vote system. This ensures that seats are allocated in proportion to the strength of parties in the Assembly.

Political parties fielding candidates must secure proposers from at least 10 Assembly members or 10 per cent of the party’s strength in the House, whichever is lower. Independent candidates must have 10 proposers, all of whom must be members of the concerned State Assembly.

The March 16 polls will determine the next batch of MPs entering the Upper House for a six-year term.