New Delhi, Aug. 29 -- The stage is set for the long-delayed Rajya Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir after the Union law ministry rejected the Election Commission of India's (ECI) request to stagger the terms of the Union Territory's four Upper House seats.
The ministry conveyed to the poll body that no such legal provision exists and any such move would require a constitutional amendment, according to a report in the media.
The ECI had sought a special presidential order exclusively for J&K, even though a similar situation exists in Punjab and Delhi, where Rajya Sabha terms also run concurrently. Normally, one-third of Rajya Sabha members retire every two years, ensuring continuity, but in J&K all four seats fell vacant simultaneously ...