Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Apr 5: For the first time during its about two year rule in Jammu and Kashmir, the PDP-BJP coalition Government headed by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, will almost attain two-third majority in the Legislative Council after the biennial election to remaining two seats of the Upper House scheduled to be held on April 17 while four seats have already been decided uncontested on April 3.
With this, the coalition Government will almost have two-third majority in both Houses of the Legislature as it has already attained the milestone in the Legislative Assembly, which would help it in getting major legislations including the Constitution Amendment Bills that require two-third majority, passed.
Official sources told the Excelsior that if the PDP-BJP Alliance captured both the seats of Jammu region, for which election will be held on April 17, their tally will reach 23, a two-third majority in the Legislative Council, which presently has strength of 34. Overall strength of the Upper House is 36 but there are two vacancies for the past about six years in the absence of two representatives of Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), whose elections have not been held since 2010.
Ruling PDP-BJP Alliance has 19 seats (PDP 11 and BJP 8) while National Conference-Congress have 15 members (National Conference eight and Congress 7) in the Legislative Council.
Out of six MLCs, who are completing their term on April 19, three belonged to National Conference (Dharamvir Singh Oberoi, Master Noor Hussain and Dr Bashir Ahmad Veeri), two are part of Congress (Deputy Chairman Jehangir Mir and Jugal Kishore Sharma) and one is the PDP leader Yasir Reshi. Oberoi had passed away early this year.
However, after four seats were decided unopposed on April 3, the Alliance strength went up to 21 as they won three seats (BJP two and PDP one). But the PDP will be vacating one out of six seats. With two more seats of Jammu division at the stake in April 17 election, the coalition partners will touch the magic figure of 23 if they win both the seats. However, if they get one seat, which is certain, their tally will still be at 22, just one short of two-third majority.
After April 3 results of four seats, PDP has 11 MLCs and BJP 10. However, PDP is sure to win one Jammu seat on April 17, which will take their tally to 12.
NC and Congress have 15 seats (NC 8 and Congress 7) but five of their MLCs will retire on April 19. Though NC won one seat on April 3 (Aga Syed Mehmood Al Mousvi) but their three MLCs are retiring. This will bring down the NC strength in the Upper House to just 6. As two Congress MLCs will complete their term, the party strength will be down to five. However, Congress strength would go up to 6 if the party candidate on Jammu seat Balbir Singh emerged victorious. On the other, BJP strength could also go up by one seat to 11 if party nominee Vikram Randhawa wins Jammu seat.
There is tough contest going on between Congress and BJP candidates-Balbir Singh and Vikram Randhawa while PDP candidate Abdul Qayoom Dar will be easily through as per the PDP-BJP understanding. The fate of Balbir and Randhawa depends on four Independents and Others as Balbir has support of 27 NC and Congress MLAs while Randhawa has 28 votes of Ruling Alliance after polling of 30 to PDP nominee Abdul Qayoom Dar.
In the House of 34, 23 is two-third majority mark. In the Legislative Assembly, 59 is the two-third majority mark from 89. In the House of 89, PDP-BJP has confirmed support of 58 MLAs including 28 of PDP, 25 BJP, two from People’s Conference, two Nominated women MLAs and Independent MLA from Zanskar (Kargil district) Bakir Hussain Rizvi, who has the status of Minister of State as head of the Board.
On the other, National Conference and Congress have 27 MLAs (NC 15 and Congress 12) while there are four Other and Independent MLAs. All the four Independent MLAs have generally been opposing working of PDP-BJP Government.
Sources said with almost two-third majority mark in both Houses of the Legislature, the PDP and BJP will be able to get majority of legislations especially the Constitutional amendment bills that required such majority, approved.
The setting up of Delimitation Commission in Jammu and Kashmir and rotation of seven seats reserved for Scheduled Castes (all falling in Jammu region), required two-third majority in both the Houses. The Delimitation Commission is also part of the ‘Agenda of Alliance’ of the PDP-BJP coalition Government. Besides, there were some other legislations that would need two-third majority in the two Houses of the Legislature.
The Legislative Council has strength of 36 but there are two vacancies for the past more than six years now, which couldn’t be filled due to non-holding of Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) elections in Jammu and Kashmir. One vacancy each in the Council is reserved for the Jammu and Kashmir divisions, which had to be filled by elected Corporators and Councilors.
The ULB vacancies were filled in 2005 soon after the Municipal elections were held in January 2005. PDP’s Nizam-ud-Din Bhat was elected from Kashmir division while Congress nominee Arvinder Singh Micky had won from Jammu division. Bhat had resigned the seat after being elected to the Assembly in 2008 while Micky had completed his term in November 2010 having served as the Deputy Chairman of the Council.
As the successive Governments didn’t hold elections to the ULBs, two vacancies remained unfilled in the Upper House of the State for the past more than six years now.
Follow our WhatsApp channel