ECI Announces Bye-Elections for Rajya Sabha Seats in J-K and Punjab

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has declared that bye-elections will be held for five Rajya Sabha seats: four in Jammu and Kashmir and one in Punjab. The voting and counting processes will take place on October 24. The four Rajya Sabha seats in Jammu and Kashmir have remained vacant since February 2021, due to the retirements of Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mir Mohammad Fayaz, Shamsher Singh, and Nazir Ahmed Laway. The ECI will hold three separate elections for these four seats, adhering to existing legal provisions. This approach was previously challenged in the Delhi High Court, which ruled in favor of separate elections. The Punjab seat became vacant after Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjeev Arora resigned on July 1; his term was scheduled to conclude on April 9, 2028. The official notifications for the elections will be issued on October 6. The deadline for submitting nominations is October 13. The scrutiny of nominations is scheduled for October 14, and the last day to withdraw candidacy is October 16. Polling will be conducted on October 24, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, with the vote counting commencing at 5:00 pm.