A total of 26 candidates have been elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha after the deadline for withdrawal of nominations ended for the ongoing biennial elections to the Upper House of Parliament.
These candidates secured their seats without facing a contest because the number of nominees was equal to the number of seats available in their respective states. This meant that elections were not required in those states.
The unopposed members come from different political parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party, Indian National Congress, and several regional parties. Among the prominent leaders elected without a contest are Sharad Pawar and Union Minister Ramdas Athawale.
The Rajya Sabha elections are being held to fill 37 seats that are becoming vacant as the terms of current members end in April. These seats are spread across several states including Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, Telangana and Chhattisgarh.
While 26 candidates have already been declared elected unopposed, elections will still be held for the remaining 11 seats. Polling for these seats is scheduled to take place on March 16.
The states where voting will be required include Bihar, Odisha and Haryana, where more candidates are contesting than the number of seats available.
Members of the Rajya Sabha are not elected directly by the public. Instead, they are chosen by elected members of state legislative assemblies through a system of proportional representation. Each Rajya Sabha member serves a six-year term, and elections are held regularly to replace members whose terms are ending.
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