Karnataka to Vote for Four Rajya Sabha, Seven MLC Seats on June 18

The political spotlight in Karnataka has shifted to the upcoming elections for four Rajya Sabha seats and seven Legislative Council (MLC) seats, with the official notification issued on Monday and voting scheduled for June 18 . The elections are expected to serve as an important test of strength for the state's political parties, particularly the ruling Congress, which currently enjoys a comfortable majority in the Assembly.

Members of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly will cast their votes at the Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru to elect representatives to both the Rajya Sabha and the Legislative Council. While the outcome may largely be determined by legislative arithmetic, the polls are likely to generate considerable political interest, especially over candidate selection and possible alliance strategies.

The Rajya Sabha elections have become necessary as the terms of four prominent members are ending on June 25 . Those completing their tenure include BJP leaders Iranna Kadadi and Narayana Koragappa , senior Congress leader and current party president Mallikarjun Kharge , and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda of the JD(S). Their departure will open the door for a fresh round of political negotiations and representation from Karnataka in the Upper House of Parliament.

Simultaneously, elections will also be held for seven Legislative Council seats elected by MLAs, as the terms of the incumbent members expire on June 30 . Among those completing their tenure are Congress leaders Govinda Raju , Naseer Ahmed , Tippannappa , and B K Hariprasad , along with BJP members N Nagaraju (MTB), Prathap Simha Nayak K , and Sunil Vallyapur .

The election schedule leaves little time for political manoeuvring. The last date for filing nominations is June 8 , scrutiny will be conducted on June 9 , and candidates can withdraw their nominations until June 11 . Counting of votes will take place immediately after polling on June 18 .

With its current numerical strength in the Assembly, the Congress is widely expected to secure three of the four Rajya Sabha seats and five of the seven Legislative Council seats . However, political attention will also focus on whether the BJP and JD(S) , which have forged an alliance in recent elections, choose to field common candidates and coordinate their strategy.

As parties finalize their nominees and electoral calculations intensify, the June 18 polls are set to offer an early glimpse into Karnataka's evolving political equations and the balance of power ahead of future electoral contests.