Rajya Sabha elections 2026: Nominations open for 27 seats, polling on June 18
Synopsis
The Election Commission of India has fired the starting gun on elections to 27 Rajya Sabha seats and State Legislative Councils in three states, with polling on 18 June 2026. The cycle includes a notable Bihar bye-election for the seat vacated by former Chief Minister Nitish Kumar — making this round more than a routine biennial exercise.
Key Takeaways
The Election Commission of India notified elections to 27 Rajya Sabha seats on 1 June 2026 .
Nominations opened at 11 AM on Monday ; last date for filing is 8 June 2026 till 3 PM .
Contested polling, if required, will be held on 18 June 2026 from 8 AM to 4 PM .
Biennial elections cover 24 seats across 10 states ; bye-elections cover one seat each in Maharashtra , Tamil Nadu , and Odisha .
State Legislative Council elections will be held in Bihar ( 9 seats ) and Karnataka ( 7 seats ), plus a Bihar bye-election for the seat vacated by Nitish Kumar .
Bihar council members completing terms on 28 June 2026 include Samrat Choudhary and Bhagwan Singh Kushwaha , whose seats are already vacant.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday, 1 June 2026 formally notified elections to 27 Rajya Sabha seats — covering both biennial and bye-elections — along with biennial elections to State Legislative Councils in three states, triggering the start of the nomination process. In the event of contested elections, polling will be held on 18 June 2026 from 8 AM to 4 PM, with vote counting beginning at 5 PM.
Key Dates and Election Schedule
Nominations opened at 11 AM on Monday, with the last date for filing set as 8 June 2026 till 3 PM. The scrutiny of nominations by Returning Officers (ROs) is scheduled for 9 June, and candidates may withdraw their candidatures up to 11 June 2026. The ECI confirmed that Returning Officers and Assistant Returning Officers have been appointed for all biennial and bye-elections, with details published in the Gazette of India and respective State Gazettes.
States Covered in Biennial Rajya Sabha Elections
The biennial elections for 24 Rajya Sabha seats will span 10 states: Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Rajasthan, Arunachal Pradesh, Karnataka, and Mizoram. Additionally, Rajya Sabha bye-elections will be conducted in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Odisha, one seat each.
State Legislative Council Elections
Alongside the Rajya Sabha polls, biennial elections to the State Legislative Council will be held in Bihar for nine seats and in Karnataka for seven seats. A lone bye-election to the Bihar Legislative Council will also be conducted — for the seat vacated by former Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar following his election to the Rajya Sabha.
The nine Bihar council members completing their terms on 28 June 2026 are Dr Kumud Verma, Professor Ghulam Ghaus, Mohammad Farooq, Bhishma Sahani, Bhagwan Singh Kushwaha, Sanjay Prakash, Sameer Kumar Singh, Samrat Choudhary, and Sunil Kumar Singh. Notably, the seats previously held by Samrat Choudhary and Bhagwan Singh Kushwaha are already vacant, as both were elected to the Bihar Legislative Assembly.
What Happens Next
With nominations now open, political parties across the affected states are expected to announce their candidates ahead of the 8 June deadline. Rajya Sabha elections are typically decided by state legislative assembly members, making party arithmetic in each state legislature the decisive factor. The results on 18 June will shape the Upper House's composition heading into the second half of the parliamentary year.
Point of View
This round of Rajya Sabha elections carries real consequence: 27 seats refreshed in a single cycle can shift the Upper House balance enough to affect the government's legislative arithmetic on pending bills. The Bihar bye-election — triggered by Nitish Kumar's own move to the Rajya Sabha — is a reminder of how state-level political realignments feed directly into the Centre's parliamentary strength. Parties with thin majorities in key state assemblies will face the sharpest test of floor management before the 8 June nomination deadline.
NationPress
17 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When will the Rajya Sabha elections 2026 be held?
Polling for the Rajya Sabha elections is scheduled for 18 June 2026 from 8 AM to 4 PM, with counting of votes beginning at 5 PM the same day. Elections will only be contested if the number of candidates exceeds the available seats.
How many Rajya Sabha seats are going to election in June 2026?
A total of 27 Rajya Sabha seats are up for election — 24 in biennial elections across 10 states and one bye-election each in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Odisha.
What is the last date to file nominations for the Rajya Sabha elections?
The last date to file nominations is 8 June 2026 till 3 PM . Scrutiny of nominations will take place on 9 June, and the deadline for withdrawal of candidatures is 11 June 2026.
Which states are holding Rajya Sabha biennial elections in 2026?
Biennial elections for 24 Rajya Sabha seats will be held in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Rajasthan, Arunachal Pradesh, Karnataka, and Mizoram .
Why is a bye-election being held for the Bihar Legislative Council?
The bye-election is for the seat vacated by former Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar after he was elected to the Rajya Sabha. Bihar is also holding biennial elections for nine Legislative Council seats whose members complete their terms on 28 June 2026.
