Election for three Rajya Sabha seats from Assam on Mar 16

Guwahati: The Election Commission of India on Wednesday announced that elections to the Rajya Sabha will be held on March 16 to fill 37 seats across 10 states, including three from Assam, whose members are set to retire in April.The three Rajya Sabha seats from Assam that will fall vacant are currently held by Rameswar Teli and Bhubaneswar Kalita, both of BJP, and Ajit Kumar Bhuyan, an independent member, backed by the opposition. Their terms expire on April 9.According to the EC’s notification, the last date for filing nominations is March 5. Scrutiny of nominations will take place on March 6, while March 9 is the deadline for withdrawal of candidatures. Polling and counting of votes will be held on March 16, with counting scheduled to begin at 5 pm. The entire election process will be completed by March 20.At present, Assam has seven seats in the Rajya Sabha — four held by BJP, one each by AGP and UPPL, and one by the independent member.The upcoming election will be crucial in determining whether the ruling NDA strengthens its position or the opposition retains its presence in the Upper House from the state. The outcome will depend on the composition of the 126-member state assembly, where BJP currently holds 64 seats, Congress 22, AIUDF 14 and NDA allies AGP and UPPL together hold 11 seats. The remaining seats are held by independents and smaller parties.