The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday formally commenced the nomination process for elections to 27 seats in the Rajya Sabha and 17 seats in State Legislative Councils, setting in motion a key electoral exercise that will determine representation in the Upper House of Parliament and legislative councils in Bihar and Karnataka.
In a press note, the Commission announced that filing nominations began at 11 am on June 1 for biennial and bye-elections to the Council of States and elections to State Legislative Councils elected by Members of Legislative Assemblies (MLAs). “The filing of nominations for all the aforesaid elections began at 11:00 am today, i.e., June 1, 2026. The last date for filing of nominations is June 8, 2026, till 3:00 PM,” the Election Commission said.
According to the Commission, elections will be held for a total of 24 Rajya Sabha seats falling vacant due to the retirement of members from ten states. These states are Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Rajasthan, Arunachal Pradesh, Karnataka and Mizoram.
In addition to the biennial elections, bye-elections will be conducted for three Rajya Sabha seats—one each from Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Odisha—taking the total number of Rajya Sabha seats going to polls to 27.
The Commission has also announced elections to State Legislative Councils in Bihar and Karnataka. Biennial elections will be held for nine seats in Bihar and seven seats in Karnataka, while a bye-election will be conducted for one additional Legislative Council seat in Bihar.
The ECI said it has issued notifications regarding the election programme and appointed Returning Officers and Assistant Returning Officers for all the elections. The appointments have been published in the Gazette of India and the respective State Gazettes.
As per the schedule, scrutiny of nomination papers will take place on June 9, while candidates will be allowed to withdraw their nominations until June 11.
“In case of contested elections, the poll shall be held on June 18, 2026, from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, followed by the counting of votes at 5:00 PM,” the Commission said.
Rajya Sabha elections are conducted through an indirect voting system in which elected members of state legislative assemblies vote to elect representatives to the Upper House of Parliament. Similarly, members of State Legislative Councils in these categories are elected by MLAs through a system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote.
The biennial elections are a routine constitutional process necessitated by the retirement of one-third of Rajya Sabha members every two years, ensuring continuity in the functioning of the Upper House. Legislative Council elections are also held periodically as members complete their terms.