New Delhi | Biennial polls to 37 Rajya Sabha seats across 10 states, which are falling vacant on different dates in April, will be held on March 16, the Election Commission said on Wednesday.

The states where seats are falling vacant are Maharashtra (7 seats), Odisha (4 seats), Telangana (2 seats), Tamil Nadu (6 seats), Chhattisgarh (2 seats), West Bengal (5 seats), Assam (3 seats), Haryana (2 seats), Himachal Pradesh (1 seat) and Bihar (5 seats).

These seats are falling vacant on April two and nine, and notifications for the polls will be issued on February 26.

As per established practice, polling on March 16 will be held between 9 am and 4 pm and votes will be counted from 5 pm the same day.

Amongst the prominent MPs retiring are Sharad Pawar (NCP-SP), Abhishek Singhvi (Congress), Saket Gokhale (TMC), Ramdas Athawale (RPI-A), M Thambidurai (AIADMK) and Tiruchi Siva (DMK).