Srinagar, Oct 14: The election process for Jammu and Kashmir’s four Rajya Sabha seats entered a decisive stage on Tuesday as two independent candidates were disqualified during the scrutiny of nomination papers. The Returning Officer rejected the nominations of Prabhakar Dada and Kante Sayanna after finding their documents invalid under the provisions of the Representation of the People Act.
With these rejections, the contest for the Upper House of Parliament now narrows down to seven candidates, four from the National Conference (NC) and three from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The scrutiny, which took place in Srinagar, was part of the procedural verification conducted ahead of the by-elections scheduled later this month.
According to election officials, the rejected nominations failed to meet the statutory requirements outlined in the electoral framework. “After a thorough examination of the documents, the nomination papers of both independent candidates were found not in conformity with the legal provisions and were, therefore, declared invalid,” an official stated.
The final list of candidates will be issued after the last date for withdrawal of nominations. The elections, which will be conducted by members of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, are expected to see a closely fought battle between the two major political parties.
The National Conference has fielded four candidates, including senior leaders and prominent voices within the party, aiming to consolidate its influence in the Upper House. The BJP, on the other hand, has nominated three candidates, seeking to strengthen its national presence and maintain its momentum in the region following its strong electoral performance in the Assembly polls.
Political observers note that the Rajya Sabha elections carry symbolic weight for both parties, reflecting not just parliamentary representation but also their evolving equations within the Union Territory’s political landscape. The NC’s strategy revolves around asserting regional autonomy and reinforcing its role as a key opposition force, while the BJP continues to emphasize development, governance, and national integration narratives.
The rejection of independent nominations also underscores the procedural rigor with which the Election Commission and Returning Officer have handled the verification process. It narrows the field to two well-organized political blocs, setting the stage for an outcome that could have broader implications for coalition alignments and future legislative strategies in Jammu and Kashmir.
The polling will be conducted in the Legislative Assembly under the proportional representation system by means of a single transferable vote. Once completed, the results will determine J&K’s representation in the Rajya Sabha, a platform that has historically played a significant role in voicing the region’s political, developmental, and constitutional concerns at the national level.
As the election date approaches, both the NC and BJP are mobilizing their legislative members to ensure a full turnout and strategic voting. Party insiders suggest that informal consultations and alliance discussions are already underway, given the narrow numerical balance between parties and the potential for cross-voting.
With seven candidates left in the race and high political stakes attached, the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections are poised to be a defining moment in Jammu and Kashmir’s renewed democratic process, reflecting not only the balance of power in the Assembly but also the shifting contours of regional politics in the post-reorganization era.