Srinagar, Oct 24 :
The Rajya Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir concluded smoothly on Friday with all 86 Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) casting their votes, including AAP MLA Mehraj Malik, who voted through postal ballot from detention.
As per news agency Kashmir News Corner (KNC), polling formally ended at 4:00 PM after a complete turnout of all eligible legislators.
The total strength of the J&K Assembly is 88, though People’s Conference (PC) president Sajad Gani Lone chose to abstain from voting.
Sources keeping eye on the development said that Mehraj Malik’s postal ballot was received by the Returning Officer in time and will be counted along with other votes.
With the National Conference (NC) securing support from the Congress, People’s Democratic Party (PDP), CPI(M), and several independent MLAs, the alliance now commands a strength of 58 votes enough to comfortably claim all four Rajya Sabha seats.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has the backing of 28 votes, can only secure representation in case of cross-voting by MLAs from the opposition alliance.
Meanwhile, the People’s Conference’s abstention was seen as an attempt to maintain neutrality and avoid political controversy over potential cross-voting.(KNC)