Advantage BJP in Mar 16 RS elections to 37 seats
New Delhi; The Election Commission of India has announced the schedule for biennial elections to 37 Rajya Sabha seats that will fall vacant in April 2026 across 10 states, including Maharashtra, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Assam. The elections will also be held in Bihar, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.
As per the schedule released by the Commission, the notification for the elections will be issued on February 26. The last date for filing nominations is March 5, while scrutiny of nomination papers will take place on March 6. Candidates can withdraw their nominations until March 9. Polling will be conducted on March 16 from 9 am to 4 pm, and counting of votes will begin at 5 pm on the same day. BJP has the upper hand.
Out of the 37 seats, Maharashtra accounts for the highest number with seven vacancies. Tamil Nadu has six seats falling vacant, while Bihar and West Bengal will each see elections to five seats. Odisha has four seats, Assam three, and Telangana, Chhattisgarh and Haryana two each. Himachal Pradesh has one seat going to polls.
In Telangana, Abhishek Manu Singhvi and K.R. Suresh Reddy are set to retire on April 9. On the same date, Assam members Rameswar Teli, Bhubaneswar Kalita and Ajit Kumar Bhuyan will also complete their terms. In Tamil Nadu, E.R. Elango, P. Selvarasu, M. Thambidurai, Tiruchi Siva, Kanimozhi N.V.N. Somu and G.K. Vasan are scheduled to retire on April 2.
