Bhubaneswar: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced biennial elections for 37 Rajya Sabha seats across 10 states, with voting scheduled for March 16. The elections are being held to fill seats of members whose terms will end in April.
Maharashtra will see the highest number of vacancies with seven seats, followed by Tamil Nadu with six, and Bihar and West Bengal with five seats each.
Several prominent political figures are set to retire from the Upper House, including NCP-SP chief Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, and Union Minister Ramdas Athawale.
Rajya Sabha elections are indirect polls, where members are elected by state legislative assembly members through proportional representation. Given the current political composition of state assemblies, ruling coalitions are expected to have an advantage in most states.
The elections could significantly impact the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) strength in the Rajya Sabha. Political analysts are closely watching possible alliance dynamics in Tamil Nadu, Haryana, and Maharashtra, which may influence seat-sharing and outcomes.
-OdishaAge
