Elections Announced For 37 Rajya Sabha Seats On March 16; Terms Of Sharad Pawar And Mallikarjun Kharge Ending
Elections Announced For 37 Rajya Sabha Seats On March 16; Terms Of Sharad Pawar And Mallikarjun Kharge Ending
New Delhi, February 18, 2026: The Election Commission on Wednesday announced that polling for 37 Rajya Sabha seats, which are set to fall vacant in April, will be held on March 16 across 10 states.
The largest number of vacancies is in Maharashtra (7 seats), followed by Tamil Nadu (6). Bihar and West Bengal will each see five seats up for election. Four seats will fall vacant in Odisha, three in Assam, two each in Telangana, Chhattisgarh and Haryana, and one in Himachal Pradesh.
Several prominent political figures from both the ruling alliance and the opposition are completing their current terms, setting the stage for potential shifts in the composition of the Upper House. Among those whose terms are ending are Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge (Karnataka), NCP chief Sharad Pawar (Maharashtra), Shiv Sena leader Priyanka Chaturvedi, Republican Party of India leader Ramdas Athawale, and senior advocate and Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi (Telangana). The tenure of Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh from Bihar will also conclude.
According to reports, 85-year-old Sharad Pawar has indicated interest in seeking another term, despite earlier remarks suggesting he might step back from electoral politics.
Rajya Sabha members are elected indirectly. The number of seats allocated to each state is based on population, and voting is conducted by elected members of state legislative assemblies. Party strength in state assemblies plays a decisive role, with a prescribed formula determining the minimum number of votes required to secure a seat.
The upcoming elections are politically significant. In August last year, the BJP’s strength in the Rajya Sabha crossed the 100-mark for the first time since 2022, strengthening the ruling party’s position in pushing legislation through Parliament.
The last elections for these seats were held in 2020. At that time, the BJP and its allies performed strongly in states such as Assam, Bihar, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. In Maharashtra, seats were divided among the BJP, Congress, and the then-undivided Shiv Sena and NCP. In Tamil Nadu, the DMK secured a majority of seats, while the Trinamool Congress and Biju Janata Dal dominated in West Bengal and Odisha, respectively.
With multiple high-profile terms ending and shifting political equations in several states, the March 16 elections are expected to play a key role in reshaping the balance of power in the Rajya Sabha.
