The Election Commission of India announced the election dates for 4 Rajya Sabha seats in Jammu and Kashmir and 1 in Punjab. Voting will take place on October 24, and results will be declared on the same day after vote counting.
Election 2025: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced the dates for the elections to four Rajya Sabha seats in Jammu and Kashmir and one in Punjab. The formal process to fill these long-vacant seats has now begun. The Commission stated that polling will be held on October 24, with vote counting taking place on the evening of the same day.
Notification to be issued on October 6
According to the Election Commission, the notification for the elections to these seats will be issued on October 6. Following this, candidates will be able to file their nominations. The last date for filing nominations has been set as October 13. Scrutiny of nomination papers will take place on October 14, while candidates can withdraw their nominations until October 16.
Polling and Counting Dates
Polling will be held on October 24 from 9 AM to 4 PM. During this period, members of the electoral college will be able to cast their votes. Counting of votes will commence at 5 PM on the same day, immediately after polling concludes, and results will be declared soon thereafter.
Why were Rajya Sabha Seats Vacant in Jammu and Kashmir?
The erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir was reorganized into two Union Territories in 2019 — Jammu and Kashmir (with a legislative assembly) and Ladakh (without a legislative assembly). Under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, four Rajya Sabha seats were allocated to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. However, elections to these seats could not be held due to the absence of a legislative assembly.
The Election Commission stated that the four existing seats had been vacant since the expiry of the terms of their respective members because an electoral college was not available. Now, with the formation of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, biennial elections for these seats have become possible.
Election Also for One Seat in Punjab
Along with the four seats in Jammu and Kashmir, elections for one Rajya Sabha seat in Punjab will also be conducted under the same schedule. This seat in Punjab also became vacant due to the expiry of its term.
Political Parties Intensify Preparations
With the announcement of the election schedule, political parties in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab have begun their preparations. In Rajya Sabha elections, Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) typically cast their votes, intensifying lobbying and strategic maneuvers among parties. This is considered the first major political test for the recently constituted Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly.
