Ranchi: The Election Commission of India has announced elections for 24 Rajya Sabha seats across the country. Polling will be held on June 18, while the last date for filing nominations has been fixed as June 8. The elections are being conducted for seats whose members are completing their tenure between June and July 2026.
Jharkhand will also witness elections for two Rajya Sabha seats this time. One of the seats is falling vacant following the completion of the term of BJP MP Deepak Prakash, while the other seat had become vacant earlier. The announcement has triggered fresh political activity in the state.
According to political sources, both JMM and Congress are trying to strengthen their claim within the ruling alliance. Congress is reportedly demanding one seat, while JMM is said to be preparing to field candidates for both seats. On the other hand, the BJP has also started working on its electoral strategy, making the upcoming contest likely to be closely fought.
As per the schedule released by the Election Commission, voting and counting of votes will take place on the same day, June 18. With the election announcement, political lobbying and intense negotiations have gathered pace in Jharkhand.