Jammu — The number of polling stations in the Budgam and the Nagrota assembly seats, where bypolls are due, have been raised to 173 and 150, respectively.
The draft roll for the constituencies will be published on Tuesday.
The Nagrota seat in Jammu district fell vacant after the death of MLA Devender Singh Rana. On the other hand, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s resignation from Budgam necessitated a bypoll. Abdullah had retained the Ganderbal seat.
“In line with the guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI), rationalisation of polling stations for the upcoming bye-elections in Budgam and Nagrota assembly constituencies was completed today,” a spokesperson said.
The process is part of the ongoing preparations to ensure smooth and transparent conduct of polls.
“The number of polling stations has been increased from 156 to 173 in Budgam and from 145 to 150 in Nagrota,” he added.
According to an official communique, unregistered electors would have the opportunity to submit claims and objections regarding inclusion, correction or deletion of names in electoral rolls from Thursday to April 24.
The special summary revision of voter lists for the two seats was started based on April 1 as the qualifying date.
The final resolution of claims and objections is scheduled for May 2 while final electoral rolls will be published on May 5.
In last year’s assembly election, Abdullah won from Ganderbal by a margin of more than 10,000 votes. In Budgam, his margin of victory was over 18,000 votes.
Rana won from Nagrota on a BJP ticket by a margin of more than 30,000 votes.
He died at a private hospital in Haryana at 59 on October 31. — (PTI)
