By Kashmir News Corner 
Three Separate Polls to Fill Four Vacant Seats After More Than Four Years
Srinagar, Sept 24 (KNC): The Election Commission of India on Wednesday announced the schedule for biennial Rajya Sabha elections from the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir, more than four years after the four seats fell vacant.
As per the poll notification issued by ECI as per news agency Kashmir News Corner — KNC, the official announcement for the elections will be made on October 6. The last date for filing nominations is October 13, scrutiny will take place on October 14, and voting will be held on October 24 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Counting of votes is scheduled the same day at 5:00 PM.
The four seats—earlier held by Mir Mohammad Fayaz, Shamsher Singh, Ghulam Nabi Azad, and Nazir Ahmed Laway—remained vacant since February 2021 due to the absence of a legislative assembly following the bifurcation of the erstwhile state into Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh under the 2019 Reorganisation Act. The newly formed Legislative Assembly now enables the conduct of these elections.
The Election Commission clarified that three separate polls will be conducted to fill the four vacancies, in line with a 1994 Delhi High Court ruling that mandates separate elections for distinct categories of seats. The tenure of the elected members will remain subject to the outcome of a pending Supreme Court case – SLP(C) No. 17123/2015. (KNC)