By Pravin Kumar
The National Conference (NC), the ruling party in Jammu and Kashmir, has called on the Election Commission of India (ECI) to expedite elections for the four vacant Rajya Sabha seats in the Union Territory, highlighting that over six months have elapsed since the Assembly elections in October 2024.
The party also expressed concern over the ECI’s failure to announce bypolls for the Budgam and Nagrota Assembly constituencies, despite scheduling by-elections in four other states.
“Jammu and Kashmir has a right to representation in the Rajya Sabha. I appeal to the Election Commission to hold elections as soon as possible, as there is no representation of Jammu and Kashmir in the Upper House,” NC chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq told reporters in Srinagar.
“Despite six to seven months having passed, elections for the Rajya Sabha seats have not taken place. Moreover, by-elections are happening everywhere except for Budgam and Nagrota. Why only delay in Jammu and Kashmir?” he questioned.
The four Rajya Sabha seats from Jammu and Kashmir have been vacant since February 2021, following the end of terms for Ghulam Nabi Azad, Shamsher Singh Manhas, Nazir Ahmad Laway, and Fayaz Ahmad Mir. The elections could not be held earlier due to the absence of a Legislative Assembly, which was reconstituted in October 2024 after a decade-long gap. However, despite the new Assembly’s formation, the ECI has yet to announce a schedule for the Rajya Sabha polls, leaving the Union Territory without representation in the Upper House for over four years.
The delay in bypolls for the Budgam and Nagrota Assembly seats further complicates the region’s political representation. The Budgam seat was vacated by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who chose to retain the Ganderbal constituency after winning both in the 2024 Assembly elections.
The Nagrota seat fell vacant following the sudden death of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Devender Singh Rana shortly after the polls. These vacancies have reduced the 90-member Assembly to 88, with by-elections mandated to be held by April 20, 2025, though recent reports suggest they may align with the Delhi Assembly elections in February 2026.
Sadiq criticized the ECI’s selective scheduling, noting that bypolls have been announced for Assembly seats in states like Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, and Haryana, but not for Jammu and Kashmir. The NC-Congress alliance, supported by Independents, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), and the Aam Aadmi Party, currently holds 54 MLAs, positioning it to potentially secure three of the four Rajya Sabha seats, while the BJP, with 28 MLAs, is likely to win one.
The prolonged absence of Rajya Sabha representation has raised concerns about Jammu and Kashmir’s legislative voice at the national level, particularly after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 and the region’s reorganization as a Union Territory. The NC has also indicated plans to nominate party president Farooq Abdullah for one of the Rajya Sabha seats, alongside senior leaders like Sajad Kitchloo or Ajay Sadhotra from Jammu.
As the ECI remains silent on the issue, the NC’s appeal underscores growing frustration over the delay, with the party urging immediate action to restore Jammu and Kashmir’s representation in the Rajya Sabha and address the pending bypolls.
