EC announces deployment of Observers
*Voter revision already held, data taken from CEO’s office
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Sept 28: The Election Commission of India (ECI) today dropped clear indications that by-elections to Nagrota and Budgam Assembly constituencies will be held along with Bihar Assembly polls in first half of November as it appointed Observers for both constituencies along with other States where by-polls are due.
Nagrota seat in Jammu region and Budgam in the Kashmir valley are vacant for nearly 11 months now. Budgam seat was vacated by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah while retaining Ganderbal after he won from both constituencies in September-October 2024 elections while Nagrota seat fell vacant after BJP stalwart Devender Singh Rana passed away within days of his re-election.
The ECI announced appointment of observers for two Assembly segments of Jammu and Kashmir along with Bihar where Assembly elections are due besides by-polls in Rajasthan (AC-Anta), Jharkhand (AC-Ghatsila), Telangana (AC-Jubilee Hills), Punjab (AC-Tarn Taran), Mizoram (AC-Dampa), and Odisha (AC-Nuapada).
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A total of 470 officers including 320 IAS, 60 IPS and 90 from IRS/IRAS/ICAS etc will be deployed as Central Observers including General, Police and Expenditure for elections in Bihar and by-polls in other States/UT.
“Appointment of Observers for Nagrota and Budgam Assembly constituencies is clear indication from the Election Commission that much awaited by-polls to two seats will be held along with Bihar Assembly polls in first half of November this year,” officials told the Excelsior.
Announcement of Bihar Assembly polls is expected in the first or second week of October, following a visit by the three-member Commission led by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to the State. Prior to this, the ECI is slated to hold a briefing in New Delhi on October 3 for the appointment of general, police, and expenditure observers. Elections in Bihar are likely to be held in first or second week of November.
“By-elections in Jammu and Kashmir and other States/UT are also expected to be held simultaneously with Bihar polls,” the officials said, adding that the ECI has taken all relevant data of Nagrota and Budgam Assembly seats from office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Jammu and Kashmir.
Electoral rolls for both the Assembly seats have been revised, the officials said, adding that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) proposed by the Election Commission across the country could be delayed by few days in the States/UT where elections and by-elections are being held as the election machinery will be busy in the electoral exercise.
Nagrota Assembly seat is stronghold of the BJP with the party winning it three times in last five elections. BJP’s third time MP from Jammu seat Jugal Kishore Sharma won the seat in 2002 and 2008 Assembly polls. In 1996, NC’s Ajatshatru Singh secured victory while in 2014, Devender Rana of the same party wrested seat from the BJP. In 2024, Rana won Nagrota seat as the BJP candidate.
In 2024, Rana emerged victorious in triangular fight defeating NC and Congress candidates by a huge margin of over 30,000 votes.
This time Nagrota is likely to witness a direct contest between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and National Conference-led alliance (NC) unless both NC and Congress decide to field their candidates. In 2024 elections, there was an alliance between NC and Congress. However, the pact was not applicable on some seats including Nagrota.
Budgam, on the other hand, is expected to see a triangular battle involving NC, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and the People’s Alliance for Change-a coalition comprising the Peoples Conference, People Democratic Front, and Justice and Development Front (JDF) among others.
Jammu and Kashmir has 90-member Assembly. With two vacancies, present strength of the Assembly stands at 88. There is also a provision for nomination of five MLAs including two women, two Kashmiri migrants (one of them a woman) and one PoJK refugee. These nominations haven’t been made as yet.
Next month, Omar Abdullah Government will complete one year in the office.
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