With the numbers of coalition partners, NC and Congress, decreasing to 43 after the oath was taken by the former Chief Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad, as the Rajya Sabha member, coalition with the support of three allies, Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Front (PDF), CPI (M) and Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Party against whom Congress didn’t put up any candidate have enough numbers to win three seats. Even when the NC President, Farooq Abdullah, who was elected to the Rajya Sabha resigns on his seat, the coalition has still the numbers to win the three seats on which the by-elections are being held. Of the three seats, for which three separate notifications were issued on Tuesday, two seats became vacant due to the resignation of PDPs Basharat Ahmed Bukhari and National Conference’s Sakina Itoo, who were elected to the legislative assembly in the 2008 elections. One seat has fallen vacant due to the disqualification of Ashok Kumar Sharma, who faced action by Congress for contesting against party candidates from Kalakote and Jammu West assembly constituency. All these three seats are likely to be won by the ruling coalition without any contest.

On the remaining eight seats for which the elections will be held in three rounds, on two of the seats which are reserved for Leh and Kargil districts of Ladakh region coalition again has the strength to win both the seats for which the elections are being held separately. Again on the two seats of the legislative council which are reserved for Kashmir province, the coalition has the numbers to win both the seats.

However with elections on remaining four vacant seats to be held together, the ruling NC-Congress coalition has the numbers to win three seats which are reserved for Jammu region while as PDP has numbers to win the remaining one seat.

As per the election notice which was issued on Tuesday by the Returning Officer for the council elections and Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Secretary, M Ramzan, political parties can obtain the nomination papers till February 24 which is also the last date for filing of nominations. Scrutiny of the nominations will be taken up on February 25 while as the last date for the withdrawal is February 27.