Srinagar, June 26 -- Nasir Aslam Wani, advisor to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, on Thursday said that holding Assembly by-elections for the Budgam and Nagrota seats is "not a matter of demand", but a constitutional right, and questioned why the two seats have been left vacant.

Speaking to ANI, "This is not a matter of demand, it is our right. Our spokesperson also quoted our party president, who said that elections in other states were announced within six months, so why not here? The question is why these two seats were kept vacant. They should be filled. If the government's policy is that everyone should work together, then there shouldn't be such double standards."

Budgam in Kashmir and Nagrota in Jammu were due for...