The Election Commission of India issued a notification for the election to four Rajya Sabha seats from Odisha, with polling scheduled for March 16, 2026.
Key Dates and Vacancies
The last date for filing nominations is March 5, scrutiny will take place on March 6, and withdrawals are allowed until March 9. Polling will be held on March 16 from 9 am to 4 pm, followed by counting at 5 pm. The process will conclude by March 20. The vacancies arise as Niranjan Bishi and Munna Khan of the BJD, along with Sujeet Kumar and Mamata Mohanta of the BJP, complete their tenure on April 2.
Political Equations
The BJP, with 79 MLAs and support from three Independents, holds an effective strength of 82 votes in the 147-member Assembly. The BJD has 48 MLAs after suspending two legislators, while the Congress has 14 MLAs and CPI(M) one. Under the single transferable vote system, a candidate requires about 30–32 first-preference votes to secure a seat.
The BJP is positioned to win two seats comfortably, while the BJD is expected to secure one. The fourth seat remains uncertain, with surplus votes from both parties insufficient to guarantee victory. Congress has announced its intention to field a candidate despite lacking numbers, sparking speculation about possible alliances with the BJD to prevent the BJP from claiming the seat.
Larger Context
This election is part of a biennial exercise to fill 37 Rajya Sabha seats across 10 states, including Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, West Bengal, Assam, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh.
