Elections for the Council of States and State Legislative Councils, 2026

📌 Summary:

• Election Commission of India (ECI) announced elections to 27 Rajya Sabha (Council of States) seats (biennial + bye-elections) and to State Legislative Councils in 3 states (by MLAs)
• Rajya Sabha biennial elections: 24 seats across 10 states — Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, MP, Manipur, Meghalaya, Rajasthan, Arunachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Mizoram
• Rajya Sabha bye-elections: 1 seat each in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Odisha
• State Legislative Council biennial polls (by MLAs): Bihar (9 seats), Karnataka (7 seats); plus 1 bye-election in Bihar
• Schedule: Nomination filing began 1 June 2026; last date for nominations 8 June; scrutiny 9 June; withdrawal 11 June; poll 18 June (8 AM–4 PM); counting 5 PM same day
• Returning Officers/Assistant ROs appointed; notification published in Gazette of India and State Gazettes

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS2 Polity — Rajya Sabha composition & election (Art. 80), State Legislative Councils (Art. 169, 171), ECI's constitutional role, indirect elections by elected MLAs, proportional representation

📝 Prelims Facts:

• Rajya Sabha: max strength 250 (238 elected from States/UTs + 12 nominated by President); elected by elected MLAs of state via single transferable vote (STV) proportional representation
• Article 80: composition of Rajya Sabha
• Article 169: abolition/creation of Legislative Councils requires special majority resolution in Vidhan Sabha + Parliament law
• Article 171: composition of Legislative Council (1/3 by MLAs, 1/3 by local bodies, 1/12 graduates, 1/12 teachers, 1/6 nominated by Governor)
• States with Vidhan Parishad (6): Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh
• ECI = constitutional body under Article 324

🔑 Key Term: Biennial Election — election held every two years to fill the seats of one-third of members of Rajya Sabha and State Legislative Councils whose tenure (6 years) ends, ensuring continuity as these are permanent (non-dissolvable) houses.