Overview
- Notifications cover contests in 10 states, with Maharashtra (7), Tamil Nadu (6), West Bengal (5), Bihar (5), Odisha (4), Assam (3), Telangana (2), Chhattisgarh (2), Haryana (2) and Himachal Pradesh (1).
- Nominations close on March 5 with scrutiny on March 6 and withdrawals by March 9, polling runs 9 a.m.–4 p.m. on March 16 and counting starts at 5 p.m.; the process is to be completed by March 20.
- In Odisha, assembly arithmetic points to two likely seats for the BJP and one for the BJD, leaving a fourth seat open to deals as no party alone meets the quota under the Single Transferable Vote system.
- Parties in Odisha accelerated picks after the notification: the BJP state unit sent probable names to its Parliamentary Board, the BJD’s Political Affairs Committee met to firm up a nominee, and Congress leaders explored backing for a fourth-seat bid.
- The four Odisha seats are vacating as terms end on April 2 for Niranjan Bishi and Munna Khan (BJD) and Sujeet Kumar and Mamata Mohanta (BJP); voting uses an open-ballot STV where MLAs must show marked ballots to party agents.