The Election Commission of India on Wednesday announced the schedule for the by-elections to fill four vacant seats in the Rajya Sabha from Jammu and Kashmir.The seats have been lying vacant since early 2021, following the retirement of four members from the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.
The four vacant seats from the UT of Jammu and Kashmir fell under three different cycles: two expired on Feb. 10, 2021, and two on Feb. 15, 2021. Therefore, the Commission will issue three separate notifications to fill one, one, and two seats, respectively.
Jammu & Kashmir By-election Schedule
The Commission has released a detailed schedule for the elections:
Issue of Notifications: October 6, 2025 (Monday)
Last date for making nominations: October 13, 2025 (Monday)
Scrutiny of nominations: October 14, 2025 (Tuesday)
Last date for withdrawal of candidatures: October 16, 2025 (Thursday)
Date of poll: October 24, 2025 (Friday)
Hours of poll: 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Counting of Votes: October 24, 2025 (Friday), starting at 5:00 pm
Date before which election shall be completed: October 28, 2025 (Tuesday)
The vacancies arose after the bifurcation of the State of Jammu and Kashmir into the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh in 2019.
The elections could not be held at the time due to the non-availability of a constituted electorate. With the recent formation of the UT's Legislative Assembly, the necessary electorate is now in place to conduct the polls.
The Commission has also stated that the term of office for the newly elected members will be subject to the final decision of the Supreme Court in an ongoing case, SLP(C) No. 17123/2015.
To ensure a free and fair election, adequate monitoring measures will be taken, including the appointment of observers. The Commission has also specified that for marking preferences on the ballot paper, only the integrated violet-coloured sketch pen provided by the Returning Officer shall be used.
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