The Election Commission of India has announced the schedule for biennial elections to 28 seats in the Legislative Councils of Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. The elections will be conducted for seats representing Graduates and Teachers constituencies, with polling scheduled for October 23, 2026.
According to the election schedule announced by the Election Commission, counting of votes will take place on October 27. The elections are being held as part of the regular process for filling Legislative Council seats whose terms are due to expire in the coming months.
The 28 seats are distributed across the four states. Uttar Pradesh has the highest number with 11 seats, followed by Bihar with eight seats. Maharashtra has five seats, while Karnataka has four seats. The constituencies include both Graduates constituencies and Teachers constituencies.
In Uttar Pradesh, elections will be held for 11 Legislative Council seats. These comprise five Graduates constituencies and six Teachers constituencies. In Bihar, eight seats are scheduled for election, with four seats from Graduates constituencies and four from Teachers constituencies.
Maharashtra will have elections for five Legislative Council seats. Three of these are Graduates constituencies, while two are Teachers constituencies. Karnataka will have elections for four seats, comprising two Graduates constituencies and two Teachers constituencies.
The formal election process will begin with the issuance of the notification on September 29. Candidates will be able to file their nomination papers until October 6. The Election Commission has fixed October 7 as the date for scrutiny of nomination papers.
Candidates who wish to withdraw from the election will have time until October 9. After the withdrawal deadline, the final list of candidates will be established for the constituencies where contests remain.
Polling will be conducted on October 23. According to the announced schedule, voting will take place from 8 am to 4 pm. Counting of votes is scheduled for October 27. The Election Commission has also stated that the Model Code of Conduct comes into effect immediately in the concerned Graduates and Teachers constituencies.
The Legislative Council elections differ from elections to the Lok Sabha and state Legislative Assemblies because the voters in Graduates and Teachers constituencies are drawn from specifically defined electoral groups. Graduates constituencies provide representation to eligible graduate electors, while Teachers constituencies are intended for eligible teachers who meet the prescribed requirements.
The Election Commission had earlier directed the concerned states to undertake the preparation of electoral rolls for these constituencies. The electoral roll process was carried out with November 1, 2025, as the qualifying date for the relevant regular vacancies. The Commission's earlier schedule covered Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.
In Bihar, eight seats are due to become vacant on November 16, 2026. The seats include Patna Graduates, Darbhanga Graduates, Tirhut Graduates, Kosi Graduates, Patna Teachers, Darbhanga Teachers, Tirhut Teachers and Saran Teachers constituencies.
In Karnataka, four seats are involved in the election process. These include Karnataka South-East Graduates, Karnataka West Graduates, Karnataka North-East Teachers and Bangalore Teachers constituencies. The terms of the members holding these seats are scheduled to end in November 2026.
Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh will also elect members from their respective Graduates and Teachers constituencies. The concerned Chief Electoral Officer offices have been involved in preparing and updating the electoral rolls for eligible voters. Maharashtra's Chief Electoral Officer, for example, has provided information relating to registration of Graduates and Teachers electors and the relevant forms for inclusion in the electoral rolls.
The announcement sets out a clear timetable for political parties, candidates and eligible voters. The nomination process will begin after the September 29 notification, followed by scrutiny and withdrawal. The final contests will then proceed to polling on October 23.
The Election Commission has also made clear that the Model Code of Conduct will apply in the concerned constituencies from the announcement of the election schedule. Candidates and political parties contesting the elections will therefore be required to follow the applicable election rules during the campaign and polling period.
The results will be determined after counting on October 27. The elected members will fill the Legislative Council vacancies created by the completion of the terms of the sitting members.
The October elections will therefore cover a total of 28 Legislative Council seats across four states. The results will determine the representatives from the concerned Graduates and Teachers constituencies for the next term, subject to the applicable constitutional and statutory provisions.
The Election Commission's announcement is separate from the Rajya Sabha election schedule also announced for October. The Commission has scheduled Rajya Sabha polling for October 16 in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and West Bengal, while the Legislative Council elections in the four states will take place one week later on October 23.