- Why in news
- On 18 February 2026 the Election Commission announced biennial elections to fill 37 Rajya Sabha seats from 10 States, with polling on 16 March 2026.
- What it is
- The Rajya Sabha (Council of States) is the permanent upper house of Parliament. It is never dissolved, and one-third of its members retire every second year. Their seats are filled by biennial elections held by the Election Commission under Article 324.
- Seats and States
- The terms of 37 members from 10 States end in April 2026, and all 37 seats go to election.
- Violet sketch pen
- Voters must mark preferences only with the violet sketch pen supplied by the Returning Officer. No other pen is allowed.
- Term and retirement
- A Rajya Sabha member serves a six-year term. One-third of members retire every second year (Article 83).
- Method of election
- State legislative assembly members elect Rajya Sabha members by single transferable vote under proportional representation (Article 80).
- Size of House
- The Constitution sets a maximum of 250 members: 238 elected from States and Union Territories and 12 nominated by the President.
Don’t confuse with Rajya Sabha vs Legislative Council elections: Both use single transferable vote. Rajya Sabha members are elected by State MLAs. Legislative Council members are elected by a mix of MLAs, local bodies, graduates and teachers.
Don’t confuse with Biennial election vs by-election: A biennial election fills seats of retiring members on schedule. A by-election fills a seat vacated early, and the new member serves only the remainder of the term.
Laws, judgments and statutory bodies: 30 Prelims questions since 2013 (what the law says, who chairs, legal basis). In Mains, 44 news-triggered questions, most in GS2, asking for provisions and challenges.
Why it matters
- Staggered retirement keeps the House continuous and gives it stable, experienced membership.
- Elections by State assemblies make the House the voice of the States in a federal system.
Problems
- Open ballot for party MLAs and cross-voting can lead to defections and horse-trading.
- Parties sometimes field non-resident candidates, which weakens the House's link to the States.
Way forward
- Enforce the open-ballot and anti-defection rules strictly to curb cross-voting.
- Encourage parties to nominate candidates with real ties to the State.
Put in your answer
Constitutional basis: Article 80 provides for the composition of the Rajya Sabha and election by single transferable vote. Article 83 provides that it is not subject to dissolution and that one-third of members retire every second year.
- 2020Mains GS2 · Q14Rajya Sabha's transformation into useful organ: factors and areas
- 2022Mains GS2 · Q4Discuss Vice-President's role as Rajya Sabha Chairman
- 2022Mains GS2 · Q15Election Commission's role in light of Model Code evolution
- 2017Prelims Q100Which is not a feature of Indian federalism
- 2018Prelims Q32Vote values in presidential election: MLAs and MPs
- 2020Prelims Q2Rajya Sabha's powers equal to Lok Sabha in which matters
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Lasting polity topic (Council of States elections, 37 seats from 10 States). Schedule dates are routine, so a question is unlikely.
Worth revising until Prelims 2027: most news questions come within two years of the event.