- By Chetna Shree
- Sun, 15 Mar 2026 11:56 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Rajya Sabha Elections 2026: Elections for 37 seats in the Rajya Sabha, the Upper House of Parliament, will be held on Monday, March 16. Polling will take place across 10 states from 9 AM to 4 PM, with the counting of votes scheduled to begin at 5 PM.
The elections are being held as the terms of several current members are ending this year, according to the Election Commission of India (ECI).
How Do Elections To Rajya Sabha Work?
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.
Rajya Sabha Elections 2026
The upcoming elections for 37 seats will be held on Monday, March 16, across 10 states. These include: Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Assam, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Bihar.
Among these, 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).
ALSO READ: Assembly Bypolls 2026: EC Announces Dates For Byelections On 8 Seats In 6 States; Check Schedule
THESE Prominent Rajya Sabha Members Set To Complete Their Term
Several prominent leaders are set to complete their tenure in the Rajya Sabha this year. This includes Sharad Pawar, Harivansh Narayan Singh, Priyanka Chaturvedi, Ramdas Athawale, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Saket Gokhale, and Tiruchi Siva, among others.