Bhubaneswar, Feb. 26 -- The formal notification for the Rajya Sabha elections was issued on Thursday, setting in motion the process to fill 37 vacancies across 10 states, including four seats in Odisha. The Election Commission of India outlined the schedule for nominations, scrutiny, withdrawal and polling.

The nomination process begins today and will continue until March 5. Scrutiny of nomination papers has been scheduled for March 6, while March 9 has been fixed as the last date for withdrawal of candidature. Polling will be held on March 16.

In Odisha, four Rajya Sabha seats are set to fall vacant with the completion of terms of BJP MPs Sujeet Kumar and Mamata Mohanta, and BJD MPs Niranjan Bishi and Munna Khan.

The upcoming election...