The biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha to fill 37 seats throughout 10 states are underway, with counting of votes scheduled at 5 pm on Monday.
The phrases of 37 members elected from Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Telangana are set to conclude in April, vacating the seats for brand spanking new members.
Of those, 26 candidates have already secured victory unopposed. Voting is presently happening for the remaining 11 seats—5 from Bihar, 4 from Odisha, and two from Haryana.
In key battlegrounds in Bihar, Haryana, and Odisha, the BJP-led Nationwide Democratic Alliance (NDA) is working to defeat Opposition positive aspects.
Up to now, 26 candidates have been elected unopposed, with the BJP securing seven, Congress 5, the Trinamool Congress 4, the DMK three, and Shiv Sena, RPI(A), NCP, NCP(SP), AIADMK, PMK, and UPPL one every, with notable names reminiscent of Sharad Pawar, Abhishek Singhvi, Tiruchi Siva, and Vinod Tawade.
Haryana, Bihar, and Odisha are anticipated to determine essential seats, with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar a key determine within the polls. — with Companies
Voting for the 2 Rajya Sabha seats of Haryana concluded with 88 MLAs casting their votes
March 16, 2026 3:59 pm
Voting for the 2 Rajya Sabha seats of Haryana concluded with 88 MLAs casting their votes, whereas INLD, with two MLAs, selected to abstain from voting. All three candidates — BJP’s Sanjay Bhatia, Congress’ Karamvir Boudh, and BJP-backed Unbiased Satish Nandal — expressed confidence about profitable the election.
Haryana: INLD abstains from voting
March 16, 2026 2:48 pm
The Indian Nationwide Lok Dal (INLD) has abstained from voting within the Rajya Sabha elections. Solely 4 votes had been left to be forged — Minister Krishan Bedi, Unbiased MLA Devinder Kadyan, and two INLD MLAs who determined to abstain. Earlier, Speaker Harvinder Kalyan forged his vote. He had particularly come to vote regardless that his mom handed away on Saturday.
Odisha: Voting halted for half-hour, BJD objects to issuance of 2nd poll paper to BJP MLA
March 16, 2026 2:11 pm
Polling for the 4 Rajya Sabha seats in Odisha was halted for about half an hour over a dispute on the issuance of a second poll paper to a BJP MLA. The opposition BJD agent objected to the issuance of a second poll paper to BJP MLA Upasana Mohapatra. She sought one other poll paper for overwriting on the one, issued in her title earlier. Later, Mohapatra was allowed to forged her vote. Nevertheless, BJD president Naveen Patnaik strongly objected to the issuance of a second poll paper to the BJP MLA.
Nitin Nabin, Tejashwi Yadav amongst leaders who forged votes in Bihar
March 16, 2026 1:58 pm
BJP nationwide president Nitin Nabin, additionally the five-time MLA from Bankipur Meeting seat, RJD’s nationwide working president Tejashwi Yadav, BJP MLA Maithili Thakur, and jailed JD(U) legislator Anant Singh, amongst others, forged their ballots.
‘NDA will win all 5 seats in Bihar’: JD(U) MP Sanjay Jha
March 16, 2026 1:27 pm
Janata Dal (United) nationwide working president Sanjay Kumar Jha exuded confidence that every one NDA candidates from Bihar will safe victory within the Rajya Sabha elections. “NDA will win all 5 seats with a giant margin. 4 seats are confirmed. We may even win the fifth seat,” he mentioned. Bihar minister Mangal Pandey additionally mentioned the identical whereas taking a jibe over studies of RJD transferring their MLAs to a resort to stop any cross-voting.
Vinesh Pogat arrives in Chandigarh with MPs Deepender Hooda and Satpal Brahmachari
March 16, 2026 12:32 pm
Tribune photograph: Ravi Kumar
Haryana minister Anil Vij arrives in wheelchair to forged vote
March 16, 2026 12:12 pm
Tribune photograph: Ravi Kumar | Haryana Minister for Power, Transport, and Labour, Anil Vij, arrived in a wheelchair to forged his vote within the ongoing Rajya Sabha elections. Vij, who has been on mattress relaxation after struggling fractures in each toes, travelled from Ambala to Chandigarh to take part within the polls. Whereas leaving for Chandigarh, Vij expressed confidence that each Rajya Sabha seats will go to the BJP. Taking a swipe on the Congress, he remarked that the style by which former CM Bhupinder Hooda had despatched the Congress MLAs away clearly reveals he has no belief in his personal legislators.
Haryana: 12 votes forged up to now, together with CM and three ministers
March 16, 2026 10:27 am
Up to now, 12 votes have been forged within the Haryana Rajya Sabha elections — 11 BJP MLAs, together with CM Nayab Saini and three ministers, and one Unbiased.
Haryana: Unbiased, BJP MLAs forged their votes
March 16, 2026 10:21 am
Unbiased MLA Savitri Jindal, BJP ministers Arti Singh Rao and Shruti Choudhry, and BJP MLA Shakti Rani Sharma forged their votes on the Haryana Vidhan Sabha.
Bihar: NDA, RJD contest 5 seats amid tight numbers
March 16, 2026 10:00 am
Patna: Voting started for 5 Rajya Sabha seats in Bihar, with 5 nominees from the ruling NDA and one from the opposition RJD contesting the biennial polls. The polling commenced at 9 am and can proceed until 5 pm within the Bihar Meeting complicated. Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) supremo Nitish Kumar and BJP nationwide president Nitin Nabin are among the many NDA candidates. The opposite three nominees from the ruling coalition are Union Minister Ram Nath Thakur, Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) chief Upendra Kushwaha, each sitting members of the Rajya Sabha, and BJP’s Shivesh Kumar, who’s looking for a berth within the Higher Home of Parliament for the primary time. With numbers comfortably in favour of the NDA for 4 seats and marginally quick for the fifth, the Opposition pressured an election by fielding RJD’s Amarendra Dhari Singh.
BJP chief and Haryana minister Anil Vij anticipated to reach to forged his vote regardless of a fracture
March 16, 2026 9:55 am
Congress claims that MLA Mohd Ilyas, although unwell, will take part in voting.
Odisha: 4 seats at stake amid cross-voting considerations
March 16, 2026 9:52 am
Bhubaneswar: Polling for 4 Rajya Sabha seats in Odisha started on Monday, with the opposition BJD accusing the ruling BJP of indulging in “horse buying and selling”. The voting commenced at 9 am and can proceed until 4 pm within the Meeting complicated, the place MLAs have began casting their ballots. The voting for the RS polls is being held within the state after a niche of 12 years, as this time, 5 candidates are within the fray for the 4 seats which can fall vacant on April 2. Two candidates of the BJP are its state unit president Manmohan Samal, and sitting Rajya Sabha MP Sujeet Kumar. Former Union minister Dilip Ray can also be contesting as an Unbiased and has the help of the saffron get together. The BJD nominees are get together chief Santrupt Misra and eminent urologist Dr Datteswar Hota, whom the Congress and the CPI(M) are supporting. There’s a chance of cross-voting as neither the ruling BJP nor the opposition BJD has the required numbers to win the fourth seat.
Haryana: Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini casts first vote
March 16, 2026 9:41 am
Chandigarh: No telephones, watches, or pens are allowed contained in the polling premises. The Bharatiya Janata Get together (BJP) MLAs additionally scheduled a gathering within the committee room of the Vidhan Sabha. Ministers together with Rao Narbir Singh, Ranbir Gangwa, and Krishan Lal Panwar have additionally arrived. The ruling BJP has 48 MLAs, the INLD has two and three legislators are Independents within the 90-member Haryana Meeting. Notably, Congress with 37 members has the required power to assist its candidate win a seat. The equation, nevertheless, may change in case of cross-voting. Every of the 2 candidates requires 31 votes to make it to the Rajya Sabha from Haryana.
Haryana Rajya Sabha polls: Congress, BJP MLAs converge in Chandigarh as polling begins for two-seat contest
March 16, 2026 9:39 am
26 candidates elected unopposed
March 16, 2026 9:19 am
26 candidates have been elected unopposed, with the BJP securing seven, Congress 5, the Trinamool Congress 4, the DMK three, and Shiv Sena, RPI(A), NCP, NCP(SP), AIADMK, PMK, and UPPL one every. Notable names among the many winners embrace Sharad Pawar, Abhishek Singhvi, Tiruchi Siva, and Vinod Tawade.
