Bhubaneswar: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday issued a notification for Rajya Sabha elections in Odisha, with polling scheduled for March 16, 2026. The announcement follows a notification by the President of India under Section 12 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
Four Rajya Sabha seats from Odisha are set to fall vacant on April 2 as sitting members retire. The retiring members include Niranjan Bishi and Munna Khan of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), and Sujeet Kumar and Mamata Mohanta of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The elections in Odisha, as in other states, will be indirect and conducted by the elected members of the State Legislative Assembly. The ECI has outlined the schedule as follows: last date for filing nominations – March 5; scrutiny of nominations – March 6; last date for withdrawal of candidatures – March 9; polling, if required – March 16; and completion of election – March 20. Polling, wherever necessary, will be held from 9 am to 4 pm.
In addition to Odisha, Rajya Sabha elections are being held in nine other states, including Maharashtra (7 seats), Tamil Nadu (6), West Bengal (5), Bihar (5), Assam (3), Chhattisgarh (2), Haryana (2), Telangana (2), and Himachal Pradesh (1).
The ECI’s notification marks the formal beginning of the electoral process, and parties in Odisha are expected to announce their candidates in the coming days.
