The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday announced the schedule for the biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha to fill 37 seats across 10 states. West Bengal is among the prominent states in this cycle, with 5 seats set for polling on March 16, 2026.

The ECI outlined a clear timeline for the electoral process: Issuance of Notification February 26, 2026. Last Date for Filing Nominations March 5, 2026. 

Date of Polling: March 16, 2026 (9:00 AM to 4:00 PM). Counting of Votes: March 16, 2026 (Starting at 5:00 PM)

The five seats from West Bengal are becoming vacant as the terms of several high-profile MPs—including Saket Gokhale (TMC), Subrata Bakshi (TMC), and Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya (CPI-M)— are set to expire on April 2, 2026.
Apart from West Bengal, elections will be held for seats in Maharashtra (7), Tamil Nadu (6), Bihar (5), Odisha (4), Assam (3), Haryana (2), Chhattisgarh (2), Telangana (2), and Himachal Pradesh (1). The ECI has mandated the use of specific violet sketch pens for marking preferences to ensure the integrity of the ballot.