Voting for 4 RS seats on October 24

The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly has issued three separate notifications today, commencing the process for elections to four Rajya Sabha seats that fell vacant following the retirement of sitting Members of Parliament in 2021.

The Union Ministry of Law and Justice urged the members of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly to elect four members of Rajya Sabha from the Union Territory.

“In pursuance of Section 10 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951(43 of 1951), the President is pleased to call upon the elected members of the Legislative Assembly off the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir to elect, in accordance with the provisions of the said Act and of the rules and orders made thereunder, one member for the purpose of filling the seat which has fallen vacant on February 15, 2021 on the retirement of Ghulam Nabi Azad and Nazir Ahmed Laway, members of the Council of States, on the expiration of their term of office,” a notification issued by the Legislative Department of the Union Ministry of Law and Justice read.

The four seats fell vacant after the retirement of Ghulam Nabi Azad and Nazir Ahmed Laway on February15, 2021, and Mir Mohammad Fayaz and Shamsher Manhas on February 10, 2021.

Since there was no Assembly in place in Jammu and Kashmir when the vacancies occurred, the elections for the four seats could not take place.

The ruling National Conference (NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had earlier asked the Centre and the Election Commission to explain the reasons behind not holding elections for the Rajya Sabha seats even after the Assembly was constituted last year.

Meanwhile, according to the notification by the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, “nomination papers may be delivered by a candidate or by any of his proposers to the Returning Officer (Secretary, J&K Legislative Assembly) or to the Assistant Returning Officer (Additional Secretary, J&K Legislative Assembly) at their offices situated in the premises of Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Secretariat, Srinagar, between 11 am and 3 pm on any day (other than a public holiday) not later than Monday, October 13, 2025.”

The nomination papers will be scrutinised at the office of the Returning Officer for the biennial elections in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Secretariat, Srinagar, on Tuesday, October 14, at 11 am.

“Notice of withdrawal of candidature may be delivered either by a candidate or by any of his proposers or by his election agent (who has been authorised in writing by the candidate to deliver it) to either of the officers specified in paragraph-2 above at his office before 3 pm on Thursday, October 16, 2025,” the notification stated.

The polls are scheduled to be held on October 24, between 9 am and 4 pm.

Political parties, including the BJP, NC and PDP, have begun preparations to finalise candidates. Sources said the BJP and NC are likely to contest all four seats, while the Congress, in alliance with the NC, is eyeing one seat.

Party insiders said the NC-Congress alliance is likely to secure three of the four seats comfortably, while the BJP is expected to win the remaining one.