Srinagar, Oct 18: The upcoming Rajya Sabha election in Jammu & Kashmir has rekindled memories of cross-voting by Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) during elections to the now-defunct Legislative Council, which was abolished by Parliament under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act of 2019.

As per the news agency, a look back at previous indirect contests in J&K-where MLAs served as voters-reveals a history riddled with political surprises. Elections to the Legislative Council, known as the House of Elders, witnessed numerous instances of MLAs defying party whips. The Council, which no longer exists, had 36 members, 22 of whom were elected by MLAs.

The most shocking instance of cross-voting happened on April 13, 2011, when BJP’s candidate Thakur Ranjit Singh secured only four

See Full Page