Twelve Council seats falling vacant in next five months

4 MLCs from Panchayat quota retiring in Dec, other 8 in Mar next

S.SHEKHAR

JAMMU: Even though the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly continues to be in suspended animation, as many as 12 seats in Upper House are going to fall vacant by March next year.

According to reliable sources, the 12 Members of Legislative Council (MLCs) comprising one-third of its total strength, are completing their term whereas the Legislative Assembly keeping on suspension mode since 20 June, 2018 after the falling apart of coalition government in the State with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) withdrawing its support to its main ally, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

“Out of 12 Members of Upper House, four are from Panchayat quota and they would complete their term between 06 December, 2018 and 16 March, 2019,” the sources further told The News Now.

“The four MLCs, who will retire on 06 December after completing 6-year term, are Ghulam Nabi Monga and Sham Lal Bhagat of Congress while Ali Mohd Dar and Shehnaz Ganaie of National Conference,” they said, adding, “They were elected by Sarpanchs and Panchs in the 2012 during the then NC-Congress coalition Government in Jammu & Kashmir.”

“Meanwhile, the other 08 MLCs, who will retire from the Upper House in March, 2019, are Naeem Akther of PDP, who was a Cabinet Minister in the previous PDP-BJP alliance Governments, first led by former Chief Minister late Mufti Mohd Sayeed and later by his daughter, Mehbooba Mufti following former’s sudden death,” the sources further revealed adding to the details.

“Besides Naeem Akhter, the seven remaining MLCs retiring in March, 2019 are Rani Gargi Billoria, Naresh Gupta and Mohd Muzaffar Parrey of Congress, whereas Yashpal Sharma and Firdous Tak of PDP, Sofi Yousaf of BJP and Showkat Hussain Ganaie of NC.”

“While Naeem Akhter, Muzaffar Parrey, Showkat Hussain Ganaie, Rani Gargi Billoria and Naresh Gupta were elected as MLCs for full 6-year tenure in the year 2013, Firdous Tak and Sofi Yousaf were elected for four-year term each in the year 2015 against the casual vacancies created by resignation of many Members in the Upper House,” they said replying to a query.

Talking to The News Now over the subject, a senior BJP leader and also a Member of the Legislative Assembly, pleading anonymity, said, “The four vacancies of Panchayat quota can be filled anytime soon after results of Panchayat elections are announced as poll process is underway.”

“The other 08 vacancies could be filled up on time subject to the condition that the Legislative Assembly is not dissolved before March, 2019,” he said, adding, “For that matter there is no definite time limit for dissolution or suspension of the Legislative Assembly.”

When asked about filling up of 08 vacancies of Upper House, he said, the Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) can vote even when the Lower House is under suspension mode and that process now can be undertaken when the situation arises as Urban Local Bodies elections in the State are over.

It’s pertinent to mention here that according to a proclamation issued by the then Governor, N. N. Vohra immediately after receiving President of India's approval, the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly was put under suspended animation and the move was necessitated after imposition of Governor's Rule in the State following collapse of the PDP-BJP alliance government led by PDP chief, Mehbooba Mufti. The then Governor also placed the Legislative Assembly in suspended mode till the proclamation of Governor's Rule is revoked or varied by a subsequent proclamation.