The Election Commission of India (ECI) issued the notification for the biennial Rajya Sabha elections on September 29, setting the nomination filing deadline for October 6 and the scrutiny of nominations for October 7.
The schedule also bars withdrawal of candidatures after October 9, ensuring a tight window for candidates to secure their places.
In Uttar Pradesh, ten sitting members—Arun Singh, Geeta alias Chandraprabha, Brij Lal, Ram Gopal Yadav, Ramji Gautam, B.L. Verma, Seema Dwivedi, Dinesh Sharma and Hardeep Singh Puri—see their terms expire on the same day, prompting the contest.
Uttarakhand’s by‑election follows the completion of Naresh Bansal’s term, while the West Bengal vacancy arises from Rukmini Mallick’s resignation, the fourth such exit by a Trinamool Congress MP since the party’s ouster.
Polling will open at 9 a.m. and close at 4 p.m. on October 16, with vote counting commencing at 5 p.m. on the same day.
Once the seats are filled, the new members will take their oath before the President, thereby reshaping the Upper House’s composition for the next six years.