New Delhi: The Election Commission on Friday announced that elections for 24 Rajya Sabha seats from 10 states will be held on June 18. According to the Election Commission, the vacancies are arising due to retirement of existing members between June 21 and July 19.Four seats each from Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Karnataka will be included in the elections; three each in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan; two in Jharkhand; And one seat each in Manipur, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram.The Election Commission said that the last date for filing nominations will be June 8.Voting for the Rajya Sabha elections will take place between 9 am to 4 pm, with counting starting at 5 pm on the same day. The Election Commission said that the entire election process will be over by June 20.The Commission clarified that voters will be allowed to use only the integrated purple sketch pen supplied by the Returning Officer to mark preferences on the ballot papers. Use of any other pen will not be allowed during voting.The ECI also said that observers will be deployed and other necessary arrangements will be made to ensure free and fair elections.Elections are being held for seats in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Rajasthan, Arunachal Pradesh, Karnataka and Mizoram.Several prominent leaders are set to retire from the Upper House, including veteran Congress leader Digvijay Singh from Madhya Pradesh and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda as well as Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge from Karnataka.Voting will also be held for JMM founder Shibu Soren’s Rajya Sabha seat from Jharkhand, which is vacant since August 2025 after his death.Other members who completed their tenure include Ayodhya Rami Reddy Alla, Pillai Subhash Chandra Bose, Rambhai Harjibhai Mokaria, George Kurien, Maharaja Sanajaoba Leishemba, Wanweiroy Kharlukhi, Neeraj Dangi, Rajendra Gehlot, Nabam Rebia, Iranna Kadadi and K Vanlalvena.The Rajya Sabha, or Council of States, is the upper house of the Parliament whose members are elected by the legislators of the states and union territories through proportional representation.