Rajya Sabha elections 2024: 56 seats across 15 states to go to polls on February 27
In this voting process, each MLA's ballot paper contains as many preferences as there are candidates to be elected. MLAs cast their votes by marking preferences against the names of candidates. If a candidate secures the required quota of votes in the first round, they are declared elected.
FollowThe Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced the schedule for Rajya Sabha polls in 15 states, with voting set to take place on February 27. The upcoming polls will determine the fate of 56 seats, as the term of office for 50 Rajya Sabha members from 13 states is set to conclude on April 2, and the remaining six members from two states are due to retire on April 3.
The states where Rajya Sabha polls are slated to occur include Uttar Pradesh (10), Maharashtra (6), Bihar (6), West Bengal (5), Madhya Pradesh (5), Gujarat (4), Karnataka (4), Andhra Pradesh (3), Telangana (3), Rajasthan (3), Odisha (3), Uttarakhand (1), Chhattisgarh (1), Haryana (1), and Himachal Pradesh (1).
The Rajya Sabha functions as a permanent body, with one-third of its members retiring every two years to ensure continuity in its operations. Members of the upper house are elected indirectly by the elected members of the State Legislative Assemblies through a proportional representation system using a single transferable vote.
In this voting process, each MLA's ballot paper contains as many preferences as there are candidates to be elected. MLAs cast their votes by marking preferences against the names of candidates. If a candidate secures the required quota of votes in the first round, they are declared elected.
Otherwise, the candidate with the least number of votes is eliminated, and their votes are transferred to the remaining candidates based on the preferences indicated by the MLAs. This process continues until all vacancies are filled, determining the composition of the Rajya Sabha for the next term.
