MLC polls 2026: jobs, education top voter demands

Jobs and better education are the issues that matter most to first-time voters in the biennial Legislative Council (MLC) elections, several young voters said as polling was held across four states on Friday. In Patna, first-time voter Ujjawala Ganguly told ANI she wanted better opportunities for young people, particularly in education and employment. The October 23 vote opened the MLC polls 2026 cycle, covering Teachers' and Graduates' constituencies in Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.

Ganguly said she felt proud to vote for the first time and wanted further improvements in how opportunities function. Ganguly said she was aware of the importance of voting and came early to cast her vote. "Jobs are being provided, and other things are also happening, but we want things to improve further and function more smoothly, especially because there are many youngsters among us. Jobs are their priority, and we also want them to receive a good education. That is why we are doing this," she told ANI.

Eight seats in Bihar, 150 candidates in the fray

The Election Commission of India announced the biennial elections after the terms of sitting members ended. Eight members in the state, four in Karnataka, five in Maharashtra and 11 in Uttar Pradesh saw their terms end, creating the vacancies that went to the polls. Polling covered eight seats: Patna Graduates, Darbhanga Graduates, Tirhut Graduates, Kosi Graduates, Patna Teachers, Darbhanga Teachers, Tirhut Teachers and Saran Teachers. The biennial elections followed the completion of the terms of sitting members in the respective constituencies, according to the Election Commission. Around 150 candidates were in the fray across the eight seats. Polling ran from 8 am to 4 pm, with the counting of votes scheduled for October 27. The Election Commission said the full election process must be completed by October 31, and the terms of the sitting MLCs expire on November 16. Police put strict security measures in place at polling stations, and officials monitored the process closely.

What teachers want from the MLC polls 2026

In the Patna Teachers' constituency, early voter Murli Manohar Srivastava told PTI Videos that the biggest issue is teachers in unaided schools who do not get proper government financial assistance. The long-standing demand, he said, is a formal pay scale, pension and social security. Srivastava said BJP candidate Naval Kishor Yadav, who has held the Patna Teachers' seat for 30 years, had secured an announcement from the state government on the issue. The 1981 Non-Funded Education Policy was modified by the Nitish Kumar-led government in 2008 to bring in a performance-based grant system, under which the state government provides post-result grants to private or community-run institutions that largely sustain themselves on students' fees. Staff there do not have a regular pay scale, leading to unstable income.

How the MLC polls 2026 schedule runs

In Karnataka, Chief Minister D K Shivakumar campaigned for the Congress candidate in the state's Graduates' constituency, urging voters to back a candidate who would represent graduates' interests. Party MP Devesh Chandra Thakur, who cast his vote in Tirhut Graduates' constituency, urged voters to exercise their franchise in large numbers, irrespective of the candidate they vote for. Bihar ministers Ashok Choudhary and Nitish Mishra and state BJP president Sanjay Saraogi also cast their votes in their respective constituencies. In Uttar Pradesh, lecturer Shripal Singh was the first voter at his booth in the Bareilly-Moradabad Teachers' Constituency and said he voted for the benefit of teachers.

The counting of votes is scheduled for October 27, with the election process to be completed by October 31.