Bhubaneswar: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has formally launched the groundwork for the Rajya Sabha elections, with 37 seats across 10 states scheduled to fall vacant in April.
The Commission has written to the Chief Electoral Officers of these states, including Odisha, seeking detailed proposals on key logistical arrangements to ensure smooth conduct of the polls.
The ECI has requested recommendations for the appointment of Returning Officers and Assistant Returning Officers, identification of suitable polling venues, and specifications for the type of ballot boxes to be used. State election authorities have been urged to initiate preparatory measures well in advance.
In Odisha, the terms of four Rajya Sabha members — Munna Khan and Niranjan Bishi (both from the Biju Janata Dal), Sujeet Kumar, and Mamata Mohanta (both from the Bharatiya Janata Party) — are set to end on April 2, 2026. This has already sparked discussions within political circles, with parties expected to intensify internal consultations and candidate selection processes in the coming weeks.
The vacancies will also affect seats from Maharashtra (7), Tamil Nadu (6), Bihar (5), West Bengal (5), Assam (3), Telangana (2), Chhattisgarh (2), Haryana (2), and Himachal Pradesh (1).
The ECI is expected to announce the detailed schedule, including dates for nominations, scrutiny, withdrawal, polling, and counting, in due course.
The Rajya Sabha elections are part of the routine six-year cycle for the upper house, where approximately one-third of the members retire biennially. It is conducted indirectly by the elected members of the respective state legislative assemblies using the single transferable vote system.
