(source : ANI) ( Photo Credit : ani)
BJP MP Gulam Ali Khatana has given a warm welcome to the Election Commission of India’s decision to hold by-elections for four Rajya Sabha seats in Jammu and Kashmir. Speaking to on Wednesday, Khatana highlighted how the ECI, as an independent body, regularly manages various elections across the country. “We fully support this move,” he said.
Khatana praised the central government’s careful steps in Jammu and Kashmir under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. “The leadership is moving forward thoughtfully, strengthening democracy from local assemblies to Parliament, while boosting security and peace,” he added. This approach, he noted, covers every key area in the region.
The Election Commission announced the by-elections earlier today for these four vacant Rajya Sabha seats in Jammu and Kashmir, plus one more in Punjab. Polls for all five seats will happen on October 24, with vote counting starting the same evening.
The Jammu and Kashmir seats have sat empty since February 2021, following the retirement of former MPs Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mir Mohammad Fayaz, Shamsher Singh, and Nazir Ahmed Laway. According to ECI rules, the commission will run three separate elections to fill these four spots, since they fall into different electoral cycles.
This setup echoes a 1994 ruling from the Delhi High Court. Back then, the Indian National Congress challenged the idea of separate polls, arguing for a single election under the proportional representation system used for Rajya Sabha. But the court rejected that, stating that seats divided into three categories from the start require individual elections. “These three seats belong to separate categories, so they need separate polls,” the ECI notification explained, quoting the court’s decision.
In Punjab, the by-election stems from Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjeev Arora’s resignation on July 1. He had a term running until April 9, 2028, but stepped down early.
The ECI laid out a clear timeline for the Rajya Sabha by-elections. Notifications issue on October 6, with nominations closing on October 13. Scrutiny of nominations happens October 14, and candidates can withdraw by October 16. Voting runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on October 24, followed by counting at 5 p.m. This schedule ensures a smooth process for filling these key upper house seats.
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