The Election Commission of India has announced the schedule for the upcoming biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha, with polling for three seats in Assam set to take place on March 16. The announcement was made on Wednesday through an official press note, which also confirmed that elections will be held across 10 states to fill 37 seats that will fall vacant in April 2026 as the current members complete their terms. In Assam, the terms of three sitting Rajya Sabha members — Rameswar Teli, Bhubaneswar Kalita and Ajit Kumar Bhuyan — are coming to an end. The election will determine who will represent the state in the Upper House of Parliament for the next term. According to the schedule issued by the Election Commission, the notification for the election will be released on February 26. The last date for filing nominations has been fixed as March 5, while the scrutiny of nomination papers will take place on March 6. Candidates will be allowed to withdraw their nominations until March 9. Polling will be conducted on March 16 between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm, and counting of votes will begin at 5:00 pm on the same day. The entire election process is expected to be completed by March 20.
The Rajya Sabha elections are conducted through an indirect voting system. In this process, elected Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) vote to elect the Rajya Sabha members. The election follows the system of proportional representation using the single transferable vote method. Under this system, MLAs rank candidates in order of preference, and the final results are determined based on the distribution of these preference votes. The Election Commission has also issued strict instructions regarding the voting procedure to ensure uniformity and fairness. It has stated that only the integrated violet colour sketch pens supplied by the Returning Officer will be allowed for marking preferences on ballot papers. No other pen will be permitted during voting. Officials said the rule is part of the standard procedure followed in Rajya Sabha elections to avoid any confusion or invalid votes.In addition to these instructions, the Commission has directed the appointment of election observers and asked state authorities to ensure that all necessary arrangements are made for the smooth conduct of the election. Security, counting arrangements and other logistical preparations will be put in place in advance to ensure that the polling process is completed without any disruption.
The Rajya Sabha biennial elections are an important political exercise as they influence the strength of parties in the Upper House of Parliament. Since Rajya Sabha members are elected by MLAs, the outcome in each state largely depends on the strength of political parties in the respective state assemblies. In Assam, the election is expected to draw attention as parties begin discussions on potential candidates and alliance strategies in the coming weeks. Across the country, elections will be held in Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Telangana. Political observers say that the results in several states could have an impact on the overall numbers of different parties in the Rajya Sabha, especially as many of the retiring members belong to major national and regional parties. In Assam, the focus will remain on how the ruling and opposition parties decide their candidates and manage the numbers required for victory under the proportional representation system. Since the voting is limited to MLAs, the composition of the state assembly plays a key role in determining the likely winners.
With the schedule now officially announced, political activities related to the election are expected to gather pace. Parties are likely to hold internal meetings to finalise candidates, while legislators will also be briefed about the voting procedure to avoid any technical errors during polling. Election officials said preparations for the polling process will begin soon after the notification is issued on February 26. Training of polling personnel, arrangement of ballot papers and appointment of observers will be completed in a phased manner. Authorities have also indicated that all steps will be taken to ensure transparency and adherence to election rules. As the March 16 polling date approaches, attention will shift to candidate announcements and political calculations within the state assembly. The election will not involve public voting, but it remains politically significant because it determines Assam’s representation in the Rajya Sabha for the next six years.