Friday, March 31 2006 12:49 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Jammu: The Election Commission today (Mar 31, 2006) issued notification for by-polls in four assembly seats in Jammu and Kashmir, where polls would be held on April 24, an official spokesman said here.

The last date for filing of nominations for the assembly constituencies of Bhaderwah (Doda district), Sangrama, Rafiabad and Pattan (all in Baramulla district) is April 7, EC secretary Ajaya Kumar told sources here.

Scrutiny of nomination papers would be held on April 8, while the last date for withdrawal of candidature is April 10, he said.

As per the notification, polling in the four assembly constituencies would be held on April 24, while May 2 has been fixed as the date before which the polls have to be completed.

While the Bhaderwah, Pattan and Rafiabad seats fell vacant due to the resignation of the Congress party's Sharief Naiz, Moulvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari and Dilawar Mirrespectively, the Sangrama seat fell vacant after sitting MLA and state minister G N Lone was assassinated by militants.

This time around, state Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad is contesting from Bhaderwah while Ansari and Mir would be contesting as PDP nominees from Pattan and Rafiabad constituencies respectively.