Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on February 18 declared the schedule for the biennial elections to the Council of States, Rajya Sabha, to fill 37 seats falling vacant from 10 states. According to the Commission, polling will be conducted on March 16 between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., and the counting of votes will take place the same day at 5:00 p.m.
The terms of 37 members of the Council of States, elected from 10 states, are set to conclude in April 2026. In view of the impending vacancies, the Commission has laid out a detailed timetable for the electoral process.
The notification for the elections will be issued on February 26. The last date for filing nominations has been fixed as March 5, while scrutiny of nomination papers will be undertaken on March 6. Candidates will have the option to withdraw their nominations until March 9.
The Commission has specified that only integrated violet sketch pens of pre-determined specifications, supplied by the Returning Officer, will be allowed for marking preferences on ballot papers. It clarified that no other writing instrument will be permitted for the purpose. To ensure that the elections are conducted in a transparent and impartial manner, observers will be deployed to oversee the entire process.
