The Election Commission has announced the schedule of elections for 37 Rajya Sabha seats today (18 February 2026). Two important seats from Telangana are falling vacant on April 9, in which senior Congress leader Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi and BRS’s K.R. Suresh Reddy is included. Voting will take place on March 16 (Monday) from 9 am to 4 pm and counting of votes will begin at 5 pm on the same day.
how many seats in which state
This election process will start with the issuance of notification on 26 February 2026. The last date for filing nomination has been kept as 5th March. Scrutiny of nominations will take place on March 6 and candidates can withdraw their names till March 9. These elections will be held in 10 states, where a total of 37 seats are falling vacant in April 2026. Apart from Telangana, seats from Maharashtra (7), Tamil Nadu (6), Bihar (5), West Bengal (5), Odisha (4), Assam (3), Chhattisgarh (2), Haryana (2) and Himachal Pradesh (1) are included.
Congress strong in Telangana
In Telangana, both these seats will be filled by the votes of the assembly members. At present the party is in a strong position due to the Congress government. Abhishek Manu Singhvi was elected unopposed in the by-election in 2024, while Suresh Reddy is from BRS, but considering the weak position of BRS and the recent strength of Congress, the possibility of both the seats going to Congress’s account seems high. The good performance of Congress in the recently held municipal elections also indicates this.
These elections can start a new phase in the parliamentary politics of the country. For many parties, these seats are an opportunity to increase their strength. Parties will soon decide the names of the candidates. Everyone’s eyes are fixed on the possibility of change in Telangana politics. The Election Commission has also decided to appoint observers to ensure a fair process.
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