The Election Commission of India has announced that it would conduct polling on 23rd March at respective State capitals to fill up existing vacancies and elect 58 new Rajya Sabha MPs across the country.

Tenure of 58 MPs - representing the Upper House of Parliament from 16 States spread across the length and breadth of the country - ends on 23rd March.  12th March would be the last date for filing of nominations by candidates to contest from these seats.

Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous State, accounts for 10 MPs including Samajwadi Party’s Kiranmoi Nandha, Darshan Singh, Naresh Aggarwal and Jaya Bachchan (wife of Amitabh Bachchan), BJP’s Vinay Katiyar, Congress’ Pramod Tiwari.  Former State chief-minister and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati’s tenure also comes to a close but the Dalit leader had already quit her post of M.P. from the Rajya Sabha protesting against denial of permission to speak on Dalits’ issue in the Upper House.

Four other BSP Rajya Sabha MPs are also ending their tenure.  Six MPs each would have to be chosen from Bihar and Maharashtra, five MPs each from West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh and four MPs each from Karnataka and Gujarat would be elected during the polls to be held in respective State capitals on 23rd March.