RS elections to 4 vacancies likely soon
*SIR exercise likely to last 150 days from Oct
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Sept 13: The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls is likely to be ordered across the country including the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir from the middle of October and is expected to last around 140-150 days i.e. nearly four and half to five months, one month more than the time taken for Special Summary Revision (SSR), an exercise undertaken every year by the Election Commission of India.
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Sources told the Excelsior that the EC will draft necessary guidelines for Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of the States and Union Territories including documents required to be attached for verification process before starting pan-India exercise for the SIR except Bihar where it has already been completed ahead of the scheduled Assembly elections.
“The list of documents has already been finalized,” they said, adding it will be released along with other guidelines for the SIR.
SIR in Jammu and Kashmir along with West Bengal and Assam besides some North Eastern States assumed significance due to infiltration by Rohingyas and Bangladeshis and inclusion of some of them in electoral rolls as well as other documents to pose as locals.
Meanwhile, as per the sources, no final decision has been taken by the Election Commission so far on conduct of by-elections to two Assembly seats of Nagrota and Budgam and elections to four Rajya Sabha seats in Jammu and Kashmir along with Bihar elections.
“Decision on by-polls will be taken depending upon flood assessment within the next few days”, they said.
There were reports that by-polls could be held along with Bihar elections as generally the Election Commission holds by-elections with Assembly polls in a state unless there is an urgency. The by-polls are normally held within six months of the seats being vacated by the MLAs. However, the time duration can be extended depending upon the situation.
Nagrota seat in Jammu district fell vacant due to sudden demise of senior BJP leader Devender Singh Rana within days of his re-election while Budgam seat was vacated by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah who won Ganderbal also and retained it.
As both the seats fell vacant in October last year, by-elections should have been held before April.
Sources said the Election Commission is likely to get the situation assessed through the Jammu and Kashmir office before taking a call on holding the by-polls to two seats.
Jammu and Kashmir has 90-member Assembly which has been reduced to 88 because of two vacancies. However, there has been a provision for nomination of five MLAs to the Legislature which will take the House strength to 95.
As far as Rajya Sabha elections are concerned, the Election Commission is expected to take a call soon.
Four seats of Rajya Sabha from Jammu and Kashmir are vacant since February 2021. Initially, elections couldn’t be held to them in the absence of Legislature. Last elections to four Rajya Sabha seats was held in February 2015 and all four members including former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad completed their six-year term in February 2021.
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