The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday announced the schedule for biennial elections and a bye-election to the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) across Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal, alongside biennial elections to the Legislative Councils of Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh from Graduates' and Teachers' constituencies.
According to an official notification issued by the ECI, biennial elections will be conducted for 11 Rajya Sabha seats, comprising 10 seats from Uttar Pradesh and one from Uttarakhand, which will fall vacant in November upon the retirement of sitting members. Simultaneously, a by-election will be held for a single casual vacancy in the Upper House from West Bengal, which arose following the resignation of TMC MP Rukmini Mallik.
The official notification for the Rajya Sabha polls will be issued on September 29, and the last date for filing nominations has been fixed for October 6. Scrutiny of papers will take place on October 7, followed by October 9 as the final date for the withdrawal of candidatures. Polling is scheduled for October 16 between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM, with the counting of votes set to take place on the same day at 5:00 PM.
