New Delhi, Sept 24: The Election Commission of India(ECI) on Wednesday announced Biennial elections to four seats of the Rajya Sabha from Jammu and Kashmir. All these seats have been vacant since February 2021.

The Commission also announced a By-election for one seat of the Rajya Sabha from Punjab. The seat was vacant after the resignation of Sanjeev Arora in July this year.

The notification for the polls will be issued on the 6th of next month. The voting and counting will be held on 24th October.

According to the ECI, the four vacancies will be filled through three separate elections, as required by law. This is because the seats were originally part of three different biennial cycles. Two members retired on February 15, 2021, while two others retired earlier on February 10, 2021.

The Commission referred to a precedent set by the Delhi High Court in AK Walia vs Union of India (1994). The court decided that separate elections must be held when vacancies fall under different categories. The ruling stated, "Once the seats have been divided into the three categories from the inception, the Respondents were right in holding separate elections for each category."

The ECI noted that the tenure of newly elected members will be determined based on the outcome of a pending case before the Supreme Court.

To ensure a fair election, the ECI has instructed that only violet sketch pens with specific features, provided by the Returning Officer, may be used to mark preferences on the ballot paper. Sufficient observers will be sent to monitor the election and ensure a fair process.

This announcement is seen as politically important in Jammu and Kashmir, where parties have long called for Rajya Sabha elections.