The Election Commission has announced the schedule for elections to 11 Rajya Sabha seats — 10 from Uttar Pradesh and one from Uttarakhand. Voting will be held on October 16, 2026, and counting of votes will take place on the same day.
In Uttar Pradesh, the terms of nine Rajya Sabha MPs are ending on November 25. One more seat became vacant after BJP MP Dinesh Sharma resigned following his appointment as Lieutenant Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The outgoing members include Hardeep Singh Puri, Ram Gopal Yadav, Neeraj Shekhar, Brijlal and others.
The election is significant because of the current strength of political parties in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly. According to the reported figures, 397 MLAs will participate in the voting, and around 37 first-preference votes are required to win one Rajya Sabha seat. The final result will determine the new composition of these seats in the Upper House.
