Rajya Sabha Election 2026 Live Updates: BJP Wins Big In Bihar And Odisha; Haryana Counting Begins After EC Intervention

Rajya Sabha Election Results Live: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has accused the Congress of acting like the "B-team" of the BJP after its MLA cross-voted in favour of the BJP or BJP-backed candidates in the Rajya Sabha elections in Odisha and Bihar. "The results of today’s Rajya Sabha elections once again confirm that the Congress functions as the B-team of the Sangh Parivar,” the veteran CPI(M) leader said.

Rajya Sabha Election Live: Three objections were raised by the BJP and Congress, which led to a halt in vote counting in Haryana. According to a report by India Today, the Election Commission has settled two of them while one is pending. Congress's objection to Anil Vij's vote was struck down and the vote was termed valid. On the other hand, the BJP's objection to the Congress MLA Parmveer Singh’s vote was accepted and his vote was invalidated.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president, Nitin Nabin, expressed gratitude towards all who supported him after winning the election as a Rajya Sabha member from Bihar on Monday evening.

After being elected, Nabin congratulated the people of Bihar and the leaders of NDA for their support in getting the message heard loud and clear that the national democratic order is alive and well in Bihar through the combined efforts of the NDA. He also stated that the Bihar unit of the NDA had ensured a decisive victory in the election.,

#WATCH | Patna, Bihar: On winning the Rajya Sabha election in Bihar, BJP national president and party's candidate Nitin Nabin says, "Today, I congratulate the people of Bihar and the entire NDA team for the NDA's landslide victory. The Bihar unit has successfully delivered a… pic.twitter.com/0djejI9v7u, — ANI (@ANI) March 16, 2026

Rajya Sabha Election Result Live: RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Monday reacted to Bihar Rajya Sabha election results, saying that the party's candidate lost the poll as BJP used "money power and machinery" to influence the outcome.

Flagging dissent in his own party, he added the result would have been different had their MLAs not "betrayed" the party.

Rajya Sabha Election Result Live: BJP has managed to pull victories on three seats, including one of independent Dilip Rai, as eight BJD and 3 Congress MLAs voted against the party whip, according to a report by Odisha TV. Apart from BJP-backed Dilip Ray, Manmohan Samal, Sujit Kumar from BJP, and Santrupt Mishra from BJD won the election.

Rajya Sabha Election Live: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has written to the Election Commission alleging attempts to interfere with the ongoing Rajya Sabha election in Haryana. Kharge has sought time for an immediate meeting with a Congress delegation to raise the party’s concerns over the polling process.

Rajya Sabha Election Live: BJP-led NDA has won all five seats in Bihar, delivering a major blow to RJD-led Mahagathbandhan. NDA's fifth candidate Shivesh Ram defeated RJD's Amrendra Singh.

Rajya Sabha Election Live: Voting for four Rajya Sabha seats ended in Odisha after it was halted over a dispute over a second ballot, allegedly issued to an MLA. At least 5 MLAs from the opposition BJD and Congress are reported to have cross-voted in favour of BJP-backed independent candidate, Dilip Ray. 

Rajya Sabha Election Live: BJP is eyeing to win all five Rajya Sabha seats in Bihar as 4 Mahagathbandhan MLAs, 3 from Congress and one from RJD, skipped voting.

Rajya Sabha Election Live: Haryana Minister Gaurav Gautam said that the BJP candidates will win a one-sided Rajya Sabha election. He added that cross-voting may have taken place in Congress. On Rajya Sabha elections, Haryana Minister Gaurav Gautam said, "There will be a one-sided win for Sanjay Bhatia, and Satish Nandal is also winning… Cross-voting may have happened in Congress, you should inquire."

PTI reports that at least 5 MLAs from of the opposition BJD and Congress on Monday have reportedly voted for an independent nominee Dilip Ray and he is backed by BJP.

The Upper House of the Parliament has bid the farewell ex Chief Justice of India, Ranjan Gogoi who retired today after completing his six-year term in office.

The Elections to elect 37 Rajya Sabha members are underway across 10 states. The counting of the votes will immediatedly begin after completion of poll process, declaring the result today itself. States, holding the Rajya Sabha polls include, West Bengal, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Assam, Telangana, Chattisgarh, Maharashtra, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. 26 candidates from these states have been appointed unopposed and battle is on for remaining 11. 

Here's State-wise seat breakup

Odisha- 4

Tamil Nadu- 6

Bihar- 5

West Bengal- 5

Assam -3

Chattisgarh -2

Telangana- 2

Haryana- 2 

Himachal Pradesh- 1

Maharashtra - 7

The former Chief Minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik, accused the polling officer in the voting room of accepting mistaken votes . Talking to News agency ANI BJD chief said, "The MLA of Brahmagiri had made a clear mistake while voting. But the officer sitting in the voting room who is in charge of this has illegally accepted her vote and has issued a second ballot paper. This is totally against the democratic norms and a violation of election rules."

The opposition BJD agent objected to the issuance of a second ballot paper to BJP MLA Upasana Mohapatra, prompting the halt of poll.

Amid the ongoing Rajya Sabha election across 10 states on 37 seats, the poll process was temporarily suspended in Odisha for around 30 minutes over dispute on ballot paper. According to PTI dispute erupted over the issuance of second ballot paper to a BJP MLA.

Before polling began on 4 Rajya Sabha seats in Odisha, quite a drama unfolded in the house as BJD and Congress accused the BJP of engaging 'horse trading' to secure two Rajya Sabha seats, as the party falls a few seats behind from securing two. 

Bihar JDU President Umesh Singh Kushwaha on Monday expressed confidence in the National Democratic Alliance's victory in Bihar in the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections.

"NDA only has to formally declare victory. 101 per cent our victory is certain. No matter what tactics the opposition resorts to, voting is happening in favour of the NDA. All five seats will be in favour of the NDA," he said.

Voting underway in Harayana, one of 10 states where Rajya Sabha seats are set to fall vacant. 68 out of 90 MLAs have polled their votes so far.

Odisha LoP and former CM Naveen Patnaik said, "The MLA of Brahmagiri had made a clear mistake while voting. But the officer sitting in the voting room who is in charge of this has illegally accepted her vote and has issued a second ballot paper.  This is totally against the democratic norms and a violation of election rules. We are objecting to it strongly, but they are not listening, thereby totally destroying the democratic election process"

Congress is trying hard to contact their two MLAs, Manoj Bishwas from Forbesganj and Surendra Prasad from Valmikinagar Assembly seat. These MLAs did not reach the Assembly to caste their vote.

RJD leader Mrityunjay Tiwari said, "In the voting taking place today for the Rajya Sabha elections in Bihar, the victory of the Grand Alliance and the opposition candidate is certain. No matter how much effort the NDA puts in, the victory will be of our candidate Amarendra Dhari. Those who are saying that the Congress MLAs of the Grand Alliance are missing, they have all come. Our alliance is united."

BJP's Rajya Sabha candidate and party's national president Nitin Nabin arrived at the Bihar Assembly to cast his vote. He was welcomed by Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary and other leaders.

31 MLAs of the Haryana unit of the Congress, who were staying in Himachal Pradesh since Friday evening, left for Chandigarh from Kasauli in Solan district on Monday morning amid tight security to participate in the Rajya Sabha elections. Earlier, the Haryana MLAs made a victory sign at a resort in Kasauli before boarding three minibuses as their convoy left for Chandigarh, jagran.com reported.

Voting is currently underway for the two Rajya Sabha seats in Haryana with a candidate each from the BJP, Congress and an Independent in the contest.

RJD MP Sudhakar Singh said, "The NDA and BJP are contesting elections everywhere with the power of money. They lack the numbers anywhere. They are trying to influence power in many states with the power of money and horse-trading. Their plans will succeed in many states, but they will lose in many others."

Former Odisha Chief Minister and BJD President Naveen Patnaik reached the state assembly to cast his vote for the Rajya Sabha elections.,

#WATCH | Bhubaneswar: Former Odisha CM and BJD president Naveen Patnaik arrives at the State Assembly to vote for Rajya Sabha elections. pic.twitter.com/sRIlr0UTYC, — ANI (@ANI) March 16, 2026

Two Congress MLAs are unreachable amid ongoing voting for the Bihar Rajya Sabha elections. This appears to be putting the RJD in trouble. Tejashwi Yadav, meanwhile, claims this is a rumour.

Voting for four Rajya Sabha seats in Odisha began on Monday. The opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of horse-trading. Rajya Sabha elections are being held in the state after a gap of 12 years, and five candidates are contesting for the four seats.

The BJP has fielded two candidates, including state unit president Manmohan Samal and sitting Rajya Sabha member Sujeet Kumar. Former Union Minister Dilip Ray is contesting as an independent candidate with the BJP's support. The BJD candidates are party leader Santrupt Misra and renowned urologist Dr Datteshwar Hota, who have the support of the Congress and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M). Neither the ruling BJP nor the opposition BJD has the required numbers to win the fourth seat, raising the possibility of cross-voting.

On Rajya Sabha elections, Bihar Minister Shravan Kumar said, "80 poer cent of JD(U) MLAs have already voted. 20 per cent are left, and I believe that 20 per cent of the votes will be cast within an hour."

Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Assembly, Tejashwi Yadav, cast his vote in the Rajya Sabha elections on Monday. Four Congress MLAs also reached the Assembly to cast their votes.

Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi arrived to cast his vote. He said, "We are like the five Pandavas and we will ensure that all five win. Our victory is 100 per cent certain."

Bihar minister Mangal Pandey on Monday said that all NDA candidates are set to win in the Rajya Sabha elections. “Today the voting process will be completed, and all NDA candidates will win,” he said while speaking to reporters.

On RJD MLAs being kept in a hotel, he said "They (RJD) do not trust their own MLAs, that is why they are doing this."

On Nitish Kumar heading to Rajya Sabha, Bihar LoP and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav says, "I have expressed my sympathies to Nitish Kumar. The day he quit Mahagathbandhan to return to the BJP in 2024, I had said that JD(U) does not have any future left. I had said that after the election, Nitish Kumar would not be the CM. They repeated what they did in Maharashtra, but in a slightly different manner. BJP destroys whoever it sides with..."

The process for the Rajya Sabha elections has begun in Bihar. Assembly Speaker Dr Prem Kumar has arrived in the Assembly. Both the ruling party and the opposition have claimed to win seats in the elections.

As voting begins for Rajya Sabha elections 2026, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary arrived at the Bihar Assembly.,

#WATCH | Rajya Sabha Elections | Patna: Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary arrives at the Bihar Assembly. pic.twitter.com/ZLny0w3PYp, — ANI (@ANI) March 16, 2026

The voting process for Rajya Sabha elections began at 9 am and will continue till 4 pm. Counting of votes will start at 5 pm.

No MLA will be allowed to carry a mobile phone inside the voting room. MLAs must use the purple sketch pen provided in the voting room to cast their votes.

"Our position is very strong. We will win tomorrow, and all MLAs are together... People who tried to do horse-trading have been arrested, and the police interrogation regarding this," said Congress MP Saptagiri Ulaka says in Odisha's Bhubaneswar.

RJD MLAs gathered at a hotel in Patna on Sunday in preparation for the Rajya Sabha elections, which are scheduled to take place today.,

#WATCH पटना, बिहार: राज्यसभा चुनाव की तैयारी में RJD के MLA पटना के एक होटल में इकट्ठा हुए।

राज्यसभा चुनाव के लिए वोटिंग कल होनी है। pic.twitter.com/HxL6SDYDY0, — ANI_HindiNews (@AHindinews) March 15, 2026

Tejashwi Yadav said, "I am confident that we will unite and defeat the BJP. He added that the Grand Alliance is fighting this election with full strength."

Maharashtra has the highest number of seats up for election, with 7 seats, followed by Tamil Nadu (6 seats), West Bengal (5 seats), Bihar (5 seats), Odisha (4 seats), Assam (3 seats), Chhattisgarh (2 seats), Haryana (2 seats), Telangana (2 seats) and Himachal Pradesh (1 seats).

The Rajya Sabha elections will be held on Monday across 10 states. These include: Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Assam, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Bihar.

Unlike the Lok Sabha, which is elected for five years and can be dissolved, the Rajya Sabha is a permanent house of Parliament, meaning it never completely stops functioning. Each member of the Rajya Sabha serves a six-year term, but not all members start or end their terms at the same time. One-third of the members retire every two years, and elections are then held to fill those vacant seats. This staggered system ensures that the Rajya Sabha always has experienced lawmakers, providing stability and continuity in the legislative process.

Elections for 37 seats in the Rajya Sabha, the Upper House of Parliament, will be held on Monday. Polling will take place across 10 states from 9 AM to 4 PM, with the counting of votes scheduled to begin at 5 PM.