Jammu, Aug 4 (PTI) The High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh on Monday directed the Election Commission, the central government and the J-K government to file their response within four weeks over alleged delay in holding bypolls in two assembly seats.
Justice Sanjay Dhar passed the directions after hearing a writ petition filed by former minister Harsh Dev Singh who alleged by-elections in Budgam and Nagrota have not been held despite a mandate to hold such polls within six months of when the seat went vacant.
Budgam assembly seat fell vacant after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who won two seats in the assembly elections held in September 18-October 1, last year, retained the Ganderbal seat and vacated Budgam while taking oath.
Senior BJP leader Devender Singh Rana who had won the Nagrota seat died on October 31 last year, necessitating a bypoll from the constituency.
Singh, who appeared in person, said the by-elections in the two constituencies have been denied in violation of plethora of rulings of various courts and the provisions of Section 151A of Representation of the People Act (RPA), which mandate holding such elections within a period of six months from the date of occurrence of such vacancies.
“The existing laws required the elections to be held before ending March 2025,” the petitioner said.
The next hearing in the case has been listed for September 8. PTI TAS TAS SKY SKY
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