 Third notification to see interesting contest
Sandeep Bhat
Early Times Report
Jammu, Oct 6: The nomination process for four Rajya Sabha seats from the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir began on Sunday with the issuance of notifications by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Although no nomination papers were filed on the opening day, hectic political activity has begun across parties as leaders work to finalize their candidates.
The Election Commission has issued three separate notifications for the four Rajya Sabha vacancies from Jammu and Kashmir. Voting under all three notifications will involve the same 88 legislators, who will cast their votes three times to elect the four members of the Upper House.
According to the ECI, the elections are being held separately because the vacancies fall under different election cycles.
For the first and second notifications—each concerning one seat—45 votes are required to secure victory. Under the third notification, which covers two seats, a candidate will need 30 votes to win, provided all 88 MLAs cast their ballots.
The ECI cla Strength of Political Parties in the Legislative Assembly
National Conference 41
BJP 28
Congress 06
PDP 03
CPM 01
AAP 01
People's Conference 01
Independents 07
Two seats, namely Budgam and Nagrota, are vacant
“These four vacancies are being filled by holding three separate elections in accordance with the law on the subject, as each of these vacancies falls under three different cycles,” the notification stated.
The ECI also referred to the Delhi High Court’s verdict in A.K. Walia vs Union of India & Others, where the Congress had argued that all vacancies should be filled in a common election. The Court, however, dismissed the plea, ruling:
“Once the seats have been divided into three categories from the inception, the respondents were right in holding separate elections for each category. Now these three seats fall in three separate categories, so elections to these three seats have to be held separately.”
The ECI further stated that, in line with this legal provision, the four vacancies from Jammu and Kashmir—arising after the retirement of members on February 10 and 15, 2021—will be filled through three separate biennial elections. | 