Argus News - EC Issues Notification for Rajya Sabha Polls in Odisha

Bhubaneswar, Feb 26: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday formally issued a notification for the biennial polls of four Rajya Sabha seats in Odisha, officials said.

According to the notification, the polling will be held on March 16 between 9 am and 4 pm, with counting scheduled at 5 pm the same day. The entire election process is expected to be concluded by March 20.

The notification said that the last date for filing nominations is March 5, scrutiny will take place on March 6, and candidates may withdraw their nominations until March 9. The biennial elections have been necessitated as the tenure of four sitting members-Niranjan Bishi and Munna Khan of the BJD, and Sujeet Kumar and Mamata Mohanta of the BJP-ends on April 2.

The Odisha Legislative Assembly, comprising 147 members, will elect the new representatives. Currently, the BJP holds 79 seats and enjoys the support of three Independents, raising its tally to 82. The BJD has 48 members following the suspension of two legislators, while the Congress holds 14 seats and CPI(M) has one. A candidate requires at least 30 first-preference votes to secure a Rajya Sabha seat.

Given the numbers, the BJP is poised to win two seats comfortably, with 22 surplus votes after securing 60. The BJD is expected to claim one seat, leaving it with 18 surplus votes. The fourth seat, however, remains a matter of intense speculation, as neither the BJP nor the BJD has the required strength to secure it outright.

Also Read: BJP and Congress to Announce Rajya Sabha Candidates Soon

Odisha BJP in-charge Vijay Pal Singh Tomar said that the party’s core committee has forwarded names to its parliamentary board for final approval. BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty stated that party president Naveen Patnaik will decide on candidates at the appropriate time. Meanwhile, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president Bhakta Charan Das announced that the Congress will field a candidate despite lacking the required numbers, signaling possible negotiations with the BJD to prevent the BJP from securing a third seat.

Congress Legislature Party leader Rama Chandra Kadam suggested that the BJD either field a candidate for the fourth seat with Congress support or back a Congress nominee. With alliances and surplus votes in play, the fourth seat is expected to be the most fiercely contested, potentially reshaping the balance of power in Odisha’s representation in the Upper House.