J&K Assembly Bypolls, Local And Rajya Sabha Elections Remain On Hold Amid Security Concerns

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Last Updated:May 27, 2025, 19:07 IST

Sources told News18 that the concern is apt to persist until information agencies springiness support to the Election Commission for the polls pursuing the Pahalgam panic attack

Officially, the ECI has not cited reasons for the delays. File pic/PTI

Uncertainty continues implicit the assembly bypolls successful Jammu and Kashmir, on with the pending section assemblage and Rajya Sabha elections. The concern is apt to persist until information agencies springiness a go-ahead to the Election Commission of India (ECI) for holding polls, News18 has learnt.

Local assemblage elections—including municipal agencies, panchayats, and Block Development Councils (BDCs)—were expected astir May, but plans changed pursuing the April 22 panic onslaught successful Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 26 people, chiefly tourists from assorted parts of the country. The assembly bypolls and Rajya Sabha elections are besides pending, but determination is nary timeline for erstwhile these volition instrumentality place.

The incidental connected April 22 importantly impacted the region’s information concern and India’s narration with Pakistan. Security crossed the national territory of J&K has been heightened.

Officially, the ECI has not cited reasons for the delays. However, sources told News18 that the concern is apt to persist until information agencies springiness support to the Election Commission to behaviour the polls.

“So far, elections were delayed due to the fact that of Ramadan and Eid (in March). Before that, wintertime impacted the schedule. As soon arsenic we get a go-ahead sign, we volition clasp these elections. The ECI is prepared to behaviour them," a root said, requesting anonymity.

Pending elections

The word of the Block Development Councils (BDCs) successful Jammu and Kashmir ended connected January 9, 2024.

Before that, betwixt October and December 2023, the presumption of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC), the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC), and assorted municipal councils and committees besides expired.

The past clip the panchayat and municipal polls were held was successful 2018, portion BDC elections took spot successful 2019.

In September–October 2024, the J&K assembly held its archetypal elections since 2019, erstwhile the authorities was converted into 2 national territories, the different 1 being Ladakh. The Nagrota and Budgam assembly constituencies successful Jammu and Kashmir person remained vacant since October 2024. Chief curate Omar Abdullah resigned from Budgam, arsenic helium was elected from 2 seats and had to vacate one. Days later, BJP MLA Devender Singh Rana died connected October 31, leaving the Nagrota spot vacant.

It was expected that the ECI would denote the bypolls on with those successful different states crossed India, but that did not happen.

The elections for the 4 Rajya Sabha seats from Jammu and Kashmir person besides been pending since February 2021 owed to the lack of a sitting assembly. There were expectations that the elections would beryllium held aft the assembly formation, but parties are inactive awaiting it. It should beryllium noted that Rajya Sabha elections bash not impact information of the wide public.

Political impact

Two large determination parties—the ruling National Conference (NC) and the absorption Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)—have raised questions astir the hold successful holding elections.

On Monday, aft the ECI issued the schedule, ruling enactment MLA Tanvir Sadiq raised “critical questions astir wherefore Jammu and Kashmir continues to beryllium denied practice successful the Rajya Sabha and wherefore assembly by-polls to 2 seats are not being held", portion speaking to the media.

The PDP excessively “expresses heavy concern" implicit the “continued delay" by the ECI successful announcing by-elections for the vacant assembly seats successful Jammu and Kashmir.

In a statement, Dr Mehboob Beg, PDP’s main spokesperson, said, “The radical of Jammu and Kashmir person been patiently awaiting the restoration of their antiauthoritarian rights. While the Election Commission has promptly announced by-elections successful states similar Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, and Punjab, the soundlessness connected Jammu and Kashmir raises troubling questions. This hold undermines the antiauthoritarian aspirations of our radical and risks further alienating them from the electoral process."

Legal mandate

Section 151A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, mandates the Election Commission to capable casual vacancies successful the Houses of Parliament and State Legislatures done byelections wrong six months from the day of the vacancy, provided that the remainder of the word of the subordinate is 1 twelvemonth oregon more.

Elections whitethorn alternatively beryllium scheduled for September oregon October, arsenic was the lawsuit past year, oregon delayed further owed to the terrible winters that impact parts of the national territory aft November. The elections for the Rajya Sabha are lone expected aft the bypolls for the assembly are completed.

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News elections J&K Assembly Bypolls, Local And Rajya Sabha Elections Remain On Hold Amid Security Concerns