Here is what you should know about 2022 Rajya Sabha elections

There were 57 seats open for election across 15 states. Out of these 41 seats from 11 states got elected unopposed. The battle of ballot is on for the remaining 16

The Election Commission of India is all set to carry out the Rajya Sabha Elections on June 10, 2022. The results will be announced on the same day.

The Rajya Sabha has a total of 245 seats, out of which the BJP, at present, occupies 95 and Congress occupies 29. Although the retirements might lead to the BJP suffering loss, it is speculated that they would maintain the 100-mark tally.

Known as the permanent house of the Parliament, Rajya Sabha cannot be dissolved. As per Article 83(1) of the Constitution, one-third of the Rajya Sabha members retire every two years. While a Rajya Sabha member is elected for a term of six years, biennial elections are held to fill the vacant seats.

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Till the end of May, 57 seats—which will become vacant due to members retiring between June and August—across 15 states were open for election.

Union minister Piyush Goyal and former Union minister P Chidambaram will be retiring from their current seats in Maharashtra. While Goyal has been re-nominated by the BJP, Chidambaram will have another term as an elected member from Tamil Nadu. Chidambaram was one of the four unopposed candidates from Tamil Nadu.

Other well-known retirees include Union Minister of Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and veteran lawyer and politician Kapil Sibal.

However, on June 3—which was the last date to withdraw nomination—41 candidates from 11 states got elected to the Upper House as they had contested unopposed.

Now the race for this biennial election is with four states, 16 seats and 21 candidates in the election fray. A close contest is expected to ensue in the states of Maharashtra, Haryana, Karnataka and Rajasthan.

The Maharashtra candidates are Piyush Goyal (BJP), Anil Bonde (BJP), Dhananjay Mahadik (BJP), Sanjay Raut (Shiv Sena), Sanjay Pawar (Shiv Sena), Imran Pratapgarhi (Congress), and Praful Patel (NCP).

The Rajasthan candidates are Ghanshyam Tiwari (BJP), Randeep Surjewala (Congress), Mukul Wasnik (Congress), Pramod Tiwari (Congress), and Subhash Chandra (Independent).

The Karnataka candidates are Nirmala Sitharaman (BJP), Jaggesh (BJP), Lahar Singh Siroya (BJP), Jairam Ramesh (Congress), Mansoor Ali Khan (Congress), and Kupendra Reddy (JDS).

The Haryana candidates are Ajay Maken (Congress), Krishan Pal Panwar (BJP), and Kartikeya Sharma (Independent).

As the Rajya Sabha elections would be held just about a month before the Presidential elections, there are rising political conflicts across states.

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In Maharashtra, the tussle is going to be between the ruling Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi—a coalition of Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party and the Indian National Congress—and the BJP. The two are said to be approaching smaller parties for votes.

As the BJP has the majority in Karnataka, it is predicted that they will easily win two seats; the Congress is expected to win one seat. The all-out contest will be for the remaining fourth seat.

Haryana will also witness a close contest between Jannayak Janta Party and the Congress.

Smaller and independent parties are set to play a crucial role in Rajasthan as the Congress and the BJP vie for surplus votes.

As is customary, counting of the votes will set into motion an hour after polling is concluded.