ECI Announces Schedule for Rajya Sabha and Legislative Council Elections; Polling on June 18

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday announced the election schedule for 27 Rajya Sabha seats and Legislative Council elections in three states. Voting for all elections will be held on June 18, with counting scheduled on the same day.

Polling and Counting Schedule Announced

According to the Election Commission, polling for the Rajya Sabha and Legislative Council elections will take place from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM on June 18. The counting of votes will begin at 5:00 PM on the same day.

The election process will commence with the filing of nominations from 11:00 AM on June 1. Candidates can submit their nomination papers until 3:00 PM on June 8.

Key Dates for Candidates

The scrutiny of nomination papers will be conducted on June 9, while the last date for withdrawal of candidature has been fixed as June 11.

The Election Commission stated that all election-related formalities will be completed in accordance with the prescribed schedule before polling day.

24 Rajya Sabha Seats to Undergo Biennial Elections

The ECI has announced biennial elections for 24 Rajya Sabha seats across 10 states, where the terms of sitting members are due to expire.

These elections are part of the regular cycle through which members of the Upper House of Parliament retire and are replaced every two years.

Bypolls for Three Rajya Sabha Seats

In addition to the biennial elections, by-elections will be held for one Rajya Sabha seat each in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Odisha.

The bypolls are being conducted to fill vacancies that arose before the completion of the respective members’ terms.

Legislative Council Elections in Bihar and Karnataka

The Election Commission has also announced biennial elections to the Legislative Councils in Bihar and Karnataka.

In Bihar, elections will be held for nine Legislative Council seats, along with a by-election for one vacant seat.

Meanwhile, Karnataka will witness elections for seven seats in the State Legislative Council.

Political Parties Begin Preparations

With the election schedule now officially announced, political parties are expected to finalize their candidates and begin preparations for the upcoming Rajya Sabha and Legislative Council contests. The results will play a significant role in shaping the strength of various parties in the Upper House and state legislative councils.