Shimla/New Delhi, February 18, 2026
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced that biennial elections to the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) will be held on March 16, 2026, including for one seat from Himachal Pradesh.
As per the schedule released by the Commission, the notification for the elections will be issued on February 26, 2026. The last date for filing nominations is March 5, while scrutiny of nominations will take place on March 6. Candidates can withdraw their nominations until March 9.
Polling will be conducted on March 16 from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, and counting of votes will begin at 5:00 pm the same day. The entire election process will be completed by March 20, 2026.
The Rajya Sabha seat from Himachal Pradesh is among 37 seats from 10 states where members are set to retire in April 2026. The Commission has directed that only designated violet sketch pens provided by the Returning Officer will be used for marking preferences on ballot papers to ensure uniformity and transparency in the voting process.
Adequate measures, including the appointment of observers, will be taken to ensure free and fair elections.
