Rajya Sabha Election Math: How One Seat Is Actually Won

Each MLA's vote is worth exactly 100 points, and seats are filled by single transferable vote, not a simple majority.

Winning quota = [(MLAs × 100) / (seats + 1)] + 1 — so a candidate often needs far fewer than half the MLAs.

Ballots are open: party MLAs must show their marked paper to an authorised agent, which is how whips track loyalty.

The Supreme Court scrapped NOTA for Rajya Sabha polls in 2018; it's only for direct elections.

Cross-voting in a Rajya Sabha election does NOT trigger anti-defection disqualification — only party discipline.