Jammu, Oct 13: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has officially kickstarted the electoral process for the Budgam and Nagrota Assembly constituencies, issuing formal notifications for by-elections in both segments. The move comes in the wake of recent vacancies that emerged in these key legislative seats.
As per the notifications released on Monday, the window for filing nomination papers for the 27-Budgam and 77-Nagrota constituencies is open until October 20. The scrutiny of nomination papers will be conducted on October 22, while candidates will have until October 24 to withdraw their candidature.
Polling for both constituencies is scheduled for November 11, with the counting of votes to be undertaken on November 14, the ECI confirmed.
The by-election in Budgam has been necessitated following Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s decision to vacate the seat and retain Ganderbal, after securing victories from both constituencies in the 2024 Assembly elections. Abdullah’s move, widely anticipated in political circles, triggered the automatic vacancy of the Budgam seat on October 21, 2024.
In contrast, the Nagrota seat fell vacant due to the unfortunate demise of sitting BJP legislator Devinder Singh Rana on October 31, 2024. Rana, a prominent face in the BJP’s Jammu unit and former National Conference stalwart, had won the seat in a closely contested election.
The twin bypolls are being closely watched, as they are expected to serve as a political litmus test for both the ruling dispensation and the opposition amid evolving electoral dynamics in Jammu and Kashmir. With the electoral machinery now in motion, political parties are likely to announce their candidates in the coming days, setting the stage for a high-stakes contest in both segments.
These elections mark another significant step in the region’s ongoing democratic process following the reorganization of Jammu and Kashmir, and the outcomes are expected to offer critical insights into the current political undercurrents across the Union Territory.
Nomination Process Begins for Budgam, Nagrota Bypolls; Voting on Nov 11, Counting on Nov 14
