The Nationwide Democratic Alliance romped dwelling with all 5 Rajya Sabha seats in Bihar and three in Odisha, and one from Haryana on Monday (March 16, 2026)
The counting for the 2 seats in Haryana became as soon as delayed after the BJP and the Congress filed separate complaints.
A Congress delegation met with the Election Rate in Delhi and submitted a memorandum over the subject, with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge writing to the EC alleging makes an strive to interfere with the integrity of the election.
Rajya Sabha elections updates on March 16, 2026
Of the total 37 vacancies in Rajya Sabha, elections were held for most attention-grabbing 11 seats in Bihar, Odisha and Haryana because the rest of the participants were earlier elected unopposed.
In Odisha, the BJP secured the victory of three candidates, including Dilip Ray, a hotelier and Fair candidate it supported, whereas the Biju Janata Dal managed to get ethical one seat amid mammoth scale cross-vote casting.
Converse BJP president Manmohan Samal, sitting BJP MP Sujeet Kumar and BJD candidate Santrupta Mishra romped dwelling with a happy victories, with first resolution votes from celebration MLAs. A fierce competition became as soon as expected between Mr. Ray and Datteswar Ray, a “overall” candidate introduced by BJD with make stronger from the Congress and Communist Procure together of India (Marxist).
Within the raze, it became out to be a one-sided wrestle with many Congress and BJD MLAs vote casting correct thru celebration strains in favour of Mr. Ray, one amongst founding participants of the BJD. As many as 11 MLAs, including eight from BJD and three from Congress, had cross-voted.
No subject missing the requisite numerical power within the Odisha Assembly, the Mr. Ray secured a enticing victory. He had earlier pulled off a an identical get in 2002, when the BJD became as soon as at its height of its energy.
In Haryana, the establish two Rajya Sabha seats were up for grabs, the device received stuck at the counting stage after the BJP and the Congress filed separate complaints. BJP’s Sanjay Bhatia and Congress celebration’s Karamvir Singh Boudh were declared elected in keenly watched elections as traits unfolded over allegations of violation of vote secrecy.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, in a gradual-night press convention, congratulated both the leaders on their get.
Congress president Mr. Kharge wrote to the Chief Election Commissioner, saying there became as soon as an strive at interference with the election to the Rajya Sabha in Haryana.
Within the letter, Mr. Kharge, talked about “There could be a particular strive to interfere with the integrity of the election and it would aloof be stopped – redressed by the EC without prolong. Furthermore, no disqualification of our legit voters – votes cast would possibly well be allowed in what is clearly a clear strive to taint/derail the device.”
The BJP on its part had filed a criticism just a few breach of secrecy within the votes of two Congress MLAs, including Bharat Singh Beniwal, MLA from Ellenabad, and Parmvir Singh, MLA from Tohana. The Congress celebration registered a criticism with the returning officer just a few breach of secrecy within the vote of Cupboard Minister Anil Vij.
Within the 90-member Haryana Assembly, 88 MLAs cast their votes. Two MLAs of the Indian Nationwide Lok Dal (INLD), including Arjun Chautala and Aditya Devilal, stayed some distance from vote casting. With 88 votes polled, the winning quota got right here down to 30 votes.
For Haryana’s two vacant Rajya Sabha seats, three candidates are within the fray. The Congress celebration had fielded Karmavir Singh Boudh whereas the BJP nominated Sanjay Bhatia. The third candidate became as soon as Satish Nandal as an Fair.
The ruling BJP has 48 MLAs, the Congress has 37, the INLD has two and three legislators are Independents within the 90-member Haryana Assembly.
In Bihar, all 5 candidates of the NDA made it to the Rajya Sabha after four MLAs of the Opposition Mahagathbandhan didn’t turn up for the vote casting. All 202 MLAs of the NDA cast their votes, whereas most attention-grabbing 37 MLAs from the Mahagathbandhan voted.
The 5 candidates who secured victory included two from the BJP — nationwide president Nitin Nabin and Shivesh Kumar, and two from the Janata Dal (United) — Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Ramnath Thakur. Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) president and faded Union Minister Upendra Kushwaha moreover secured victory.
Out of the six Congress MLAs, three skipped the vote casting route of — Manohar Prasad Singh (Manihari), Surendra Prasad (Valimikinagar) and Manoj Bishwas (Forbesganj). Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLA from Dhaka Assembly constituency Faisal Rahman moreover skipped vote casting.
There became as soon as a contest for the fifth seat between Mr. Shivesh Kumar and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) candidate Amarendra Dhari Singh. As per the calculation, there became as soon as a requirement of 41 votes to get a seat from the NDA facet and Mr. Shivesh Kumar received 38 votes whereas Mr. Singh received 37 votes.
In response to the Assembly Secretariat, Mr. Nitish Kumar and Mr. Nitin Nabin every secured 44 votes whereas Mr. Thakur and Mr. Kushwaha received 42 votes every.
Within the principle resolution round, Mr. Shivesh Kumar received 30 votes. Rajya Sabha follows a machine known as the Proportional Representation by formula of a Single Transferable Vote (STV). On this methodology, in space of vote casting for ethical a single candidate, MLAs net a ballotpaper with the names of the final candidates. They must then impolite them in narrate of their resolution, i.e. first substitute, 2nd substitute and so forth.
A candidate doesn’t want basically the most votes to get. They ethical must reach a particular “quota”. This quantity is calculated based completely on the total resolution of MLAs vote casting and the resolution of seats on hand. If a winner gets more votes than the quota, their votes are transferred to the 2nd resolution. Right here is what came about when Mr. Shivesh Kumar defeated the RJD’s candidate Mr. Singh in 2nd substitute.
