HC directs ECI, Centre, J-K govt to file response over ‘delay' in holding bypolls in two 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.
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.
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
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News18
an hour ago
- News18
Anti-drug drive in final phase: Punjab CM
Agency: PTI Last Updated: Ludhiana, Aug 4 (PTI) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday said his government's anti-drug campaign has entered its final phase, and expressed confidence that newly formed defence committees in villages and cities will play a decisive role in ending drug trafficking in the state. Addressing members of these defence committees, Mann said the Punjab government launched the 'War Against Drugs' campaign on February 4 and has achieved major success in eliminating the roots of the menace. He said the backbone of the drug supply chain has been entirely broken, and he thanked the people of Punjab for their enthusiastic support in this noble mission to save the future generations. Mann said to keep villages and cities drug-free in the future, the government has formed defence committees and said he is fully confident that these committees will act as 'generals" in this war against drugs and safeguard villages and cities. He said each village or ward defence committee will be formed with four core members: the village sarpanch or ward councillor, a representative from the anti-drug campaign, the block development and panchayat officer or their representative, and the SHO or their representative. These committees will include 10 to 20 members, depending on the population, he said, adding that only individuals with clean records and reputation — such as retired army personnel, teachers, and village headmen — will be included. Each committee will be officially notified by the local sub-divisional magistrate, and committee members will be issued special government ID cards. It will facilitate communication with the administration regarding drug-related information or anti-drug activities, he said. Villages and wards will have round-the-clock surveillance to ensure no trafficker dares to operate, he said. The committee members will also assist in drug rehabilitation efforts and help reintegrate former addicts into society, he added. Any village or ward that achieves 100 per cent drug-free status will receive formal recognition and certificates of appreciation from the government, said Mann. 'These committees will raise awareness through street plays and door-to-door campaigns, adding that schools will also conduct awareness programs for children," he said. He noted that more than 10,000 village-level meetings have already been held, and many panchayats have passed resolutions to declare their villages drug-free. He blamed traditional political parties for dragging Punjab into the swamp of drug addiction, saying, 'Had the previous governments restrained drug traffickers, we would not have needed to conduct such programmes today. Governments usually form development committees — not defence committees." Mann said the state government has been forced to form these committees to fight the war against drug dealers. While the incumbent state government is fighting them, traditional parties were 'hand in glove" with them and were offering them protection, he alleged. Without naming anyone, Mann said, 'Important evidence has been found against the jailed former Akali minister, and it will be presented in court." Mann was apparently referring to Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia who was arrested in a disproportionate assets case on June 25. PTI COR CHS RHL view comments First Published: August 05, 2025, 01:15 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Amid buzz of another bifurcation of J&K on anniversary of Article 370 abrogation, Omar says ‘nothing bad or good' will happen
File photo SRINAGAR: Amid rumours of further bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir a day before the sixth anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370, chief minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said 'nothing will happen tomorrow'. 'I've heard every possible permutation & combination about what to expect in J&K tomorrow so let me stick my neck out and say nothing will happen tomorrow - fortunately nothing bad will happen but unfortunately nothing positive will happen either (sic.),' Omar wrote on X, as the state remained abuzz that Jammu may become a separate state. 'I'm still optimistic about something positive for J&K in this monsoon session of Parliament but not tomorrow (sic.),' Omar said in a veiled reference to restoration of statehood, adding: 'And no, I haven't had any meetings or conversations with people in Delhi. This is just a gut feeling. Let's see this time tomorrow.' While Omar appeared to dismiss the rumours, PDP's Iltija Mufti said, 'Since a week now, hushed whispers suggest something drastic yet again is in the offing. Insinuations dressed in metaphors & dark humour.' Her mother and former CM Mehbooba Mufti, in a post on X, criticised the abrogation of Article 370, but did not make any reference to the latest speculations. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Is this legal? Access all TV channels without a subscription! Techno Mag Learn More Undo 'Aug 4, 2019, we were silenced. Aug 5 our voice, our rights, our Constitution taken without our consent. What was ours by birth and by belonging was stripped away overnight. Not a whisper of warning. Not a shred of justice. Today, we remember. We resist,' she said. Earlier in the day, J&K Police held a high-level security review meeting, chaired by DGP Nalin Prabhat, amid the speculations. A police spokesperson said the DGP was apprised of the prevailing security situation in the UT by the IGs and heads of various wings, including intelligence. Prabhat emphasized the need to enhance the security measures and design effective counterinsurgency strategies for smooth and peaceful conduct of coming events in J&K, including Independence Day. He also directed the officers to increase surveillance on anti-national elements, intensify area domination exercises, and enhance the security of vulnerable targets. The DGP directed the district police chiefs to closely monitor social media platforms to prevent any attempt to spread misinformation impacting public safety and order, the spokesperson said. In the context of the rumours about another big announcement, Lt-General (retired) Kanwal Jeet Singh Dhillon, who was serving as the 48th commander of 15 Corps in Kashmir when Article 370 was abrogated, said on X: 'The peace in Kashmir has come about at a great cost of human lives --- of security forces personnel and innocent civilians. It's still fragile, as was evident from the Pahalgam terror attack. For the sake of those who laid down their lives in this journey of peace, as also those whose lives are going to be impacted by any decision on it, we should not rush into any hasty decision as consolidation phase for restoration of peace is going on. '
Economic Times
2 hours ago
- Economic Times
10 lakh of 17 lakh Gopalganj voter forms have no supporting documents: District Election Officer
A significant number of enumeration forms in Gopalganj, Bihar, were submitted without necessary documents. The District Election Officer revealed that over 10 lakh forms lacked proof. Similar issues are emerging across other districts. Authorities are assisting electors in gathering documents. The Election Commission has shifted focus to form submission, allowing document submission later. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads As many as 10.4 lakh of the total 17.4 lakh enumeration forms submitted on time in Gopalganj district did not have any document of proof attached, a press release issued on August 1 by the District Election Officer (DEO) of Gopalganj Gopalganj, only 1.3 lakh enumeration forms were submitted with one of the 11 documents prescribed by the Election Commission (ECI) in its June 24 order on Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. 54,944 forms were submitted with a document other than the 11 documents, as per the gathers that there are similar issues across districts with reasonably high submission of enumeration forms but without the prescribed documents. District collectors are pulling out all stops to 'assist' such electors with documents so that when their case lands with the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) for a final scrutiny, they can make it to the final electoral trend bears out clearly across the six assembly constituencies in Gopalganj Hathua assembly constituency, the figure is staggering. Of the total 2.8 lakh EFs submitted, as many as 2.1 lakh were without any document, just 14,918 have an ECI prescribed document attached and 2,998 have added some other the 2.9 lakh enumeration forms received, in Baikunthpur seat,1.45 lakh are without any document; in Barauli, 1.5 lakh of the total 2.7 lakh forms submitted are backed with no document of proof. Barauli has reported just 9,717 forms submitted with one of the 11 ECI mandated documents. In Gopalganj, it is again 1.58 lakh forms of the total 2.8 lakh that are without documents while the figure is 1.59 lakh for Kuchaikot which has 2.8 lakh EFs submitted. Bhore seat, where 3.2 lakh forms were submitted, has 2.1 lakh without documents. Gopalganj district's total 3.1 lakh deletions have nearly half -- 1.28 lakh deleted due to permanent shifting, 71,135 dead, 35,258 cases of duplicate entries and 75,070 electors off due to 'other' similar scenarios playing out across several districts, the district administration is out in full force, fielding BLOs once again to match electors and find due documents. "Yes, there are several such cases of electors whose forms have come but not with the documents required. However, this list is coming down every day as BLOs are going from house to house to reach all such electors and help them with the documents. We have also brought out the Mahadalit Vikas register and SC/ST family registers to specifically help the disadvantaged sections make it to the rolls. Also, it must be noted that the ERO has the right to assess each elector's details based on field enquiry and other inputs to decide on electoral roll entry . We are quite positive that all eligible electors will make it to the final roll," a district election officer of a district with lakhs of such cases told major concerns over the inability of electors to furnish the ECI prescribed documents of proof of birth for themselves and parents (in some categories), the poll panel had shifted its focus to submission of forms by July 25 -- even without documents -- and submit them later during the claims and objections period over the month of August for the ERO to assess.
