By Howdy Kane
Published: June 18, 2026
Voting for three Rajya Sabha seats, two from Jharkhand and one from Mizoram, began on Thursday morning as legislators headed to their respective state assemblies to elect members to Parliament’s Upper House.
Polling is taking place from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, while vote counting will begin at 5:00 PM. Official results are expected later in the evening.
The spotlight is firmly on Jharkhand, where a three-cornered contest has turned the election into one of the day’s biggest political stories. In Mizoram, the battle is more straightforward, with the ruling party entering the contest with a clear numerical edge.
Jharkhand: Three candidates, two seats, one closely watched contest
Jharkhand’s election has drawn attention because three candidates are competing for only two Rajya Sabha seats.
The candidates are:
- Baidyanath Ram of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)
- Pranav Jha of the Congress
- Parimal Nathwani, contesting as an Independent
All 81 MLAs in the Jharkhand Assembly are eligible to cast their votes.
The ruling JMM-led alliance, which includes Congress, RJD and CPI-ML, has the backing of 56 legislators, giving it a comfortable advantage on paper. The opposition bloc, with 24 MLAs, has extended support to Independent candidate Parimal Nathwani.
While the numbers appear to favour the ruling alliance, political observers will closely watch the voting pattern and whether every MLA votes along expected party lines.
Mizoram: ZPM holds numerical advantage
The contest in Mizoram is for one Rajya Sabha seat.
The ruling Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) has fielded party spokesperson K. Laltluangkima, while the opposition Mizo National Front (MNF) has nominated advocate and writer Zothansangi Hmar.
The election has another political twist.
The BJP’s two MLAs and the Congress’ lone MLA have officially announced that they will abstain from voting.
That leaves the contest heavily tilted toward the ruling ZPM, which commands 27 members in the 40-member Assembly. The MNF has 10 legislators.
Voting is taking place at the Assembly building in Aizawl on the same schedule as Jharkhand, with counting beginning at 5 PM.
Rule of Three: Three numbers that explain today’s elections
1. Three-way contest in Jharkhand
Three candidates are competing for two Rajya Sabha seats, making it the day’s most closely watched election.
2. Majority with the ruling alliances
The JMM-led coalition has 56 MLAs in Jharkhand, while the ZPM controls 27 seats in Mizoram’s Assembly.
3. Results expected within hours
Polling closes at 4 PM, counting starts at 5 PM, and winners are expected to be declared later today.
Rajya Sabha Elections 2026 :-Why these elections matter
Rajya Sabha members play a central role in passing legislation, debating national policy and representing states in Parliament. Every election influences the balance of numbers in the Upper House, making even a handful of seats politically important.
Today’s contests will also offer an early indication of how firmly ruling alliances hold their legislative support ahead of future political battles.
Quick Q&A
Q1. How many Rajya Sabha seats are being contested today?
Three seats are going to polls, two from Jharkhand and one from Mizoram.
Q2. When will the results be announced?
Counting begins at 5 PM on June 18, 2026. Results are expected later in the evening.
Q3. Who are the candidates in Jharkhand?
Baidyanath Ram (JMM), Pranav Jha (Congress) and Independent candidate Parimal Nathwani.
Q4. Who has the advantage in Mizoram?
The ruling Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM), which has 27 MLAs in the 40-member Assembly.
Q5. Why are BJP and Congress not voting in Mizoram?
Both parties have officially announced that their legislators will abstain from voting in this election.
Summary
- Voting is underway for 3 Rajya Sabha seats in Jharkhand and Mizoram.
- Jharkhand has a three-way contest for two seats.
- The JMM-led alliance enters the election with 56 MLAs.
- Mizoram witnesses a direct contest between the ZPM and MNF.
- BJP and Congress have chosen to abstain in Mizoram.
- Polling ends at 4 PM, counting begins at 5 PM, with results expected later today.
Sources
- Election Commission of India (ECI), official election schedule and polling procedures.
- Official information released by the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly and the Mizoram Legislative Assembly regarding polling arrangements and candidate nominations.
- Candidate nominations and Assembly strength based on publicly available official legislative records.
Author: Howdy Kane
Publication Date: June 18, 2026
Fact Check Status: Verified using official election schedules, Assembly data, and candidate nominations available before polling.