ECI announces biennial elections to 37 Rajya Sabha seats

CHENNAI: The ECI on Wednesday announced biennial elections to 37 Rajya Sabha seats, with polling scheduled for March 16, as the terms of the sitting members expire in April 2026. This includes six seats from Tamil Nadu — Tiruchi Siva, N R Elango, Anthiyur P Selvarasu and Kanimozhi NVN Somu of the DMK, and M Thambidurai of the AIADMK and G K Vasan of the TMC. The timing, ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, has added a new layer to seat-sharing negotiations, with alliance partners of both Dravidian majors pressing for an Upper House berth as part of broader poll talks. The DMDK has held back from formally declaring its alliance, exploring the possibility of securing a Rajya Sabha seat. The party had been promised a berth by the AIADMK ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections — a commitment that later fell through after the AIADMK retained both seats for itself.