Srinagar, Aug 29: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday issued the notification for the second phase of the 3-phased Assembly polls in J&K.

The ECI issued the notification for the filling of nomination papers by candidates for the second phase. The last date for filling nomination papers is September 5, while scrutiny will be done on September 6.

Candidates can withdraw their nomination forms till September 9.

Polling will be held on September 25 for the second phase from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., while results of all phases will be declared on October 4.

The seats going to polls in this phase include Kangan (ST), Ganderbal, Hazratbal, Khanyar, Habba Kadal, Lal Chowk, Channapora, Zadibal, Eidgah, Central Shalteng, Budgam, Beerwah, Khansahib, Chrar-i-Sharief, Chadoora, Gulabgarh (ST), Reasi, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi, Kalakote-Sunderbani, Nowshera Rajouri (ST), Budhal (ST), Thannamandi (ST), Surankote (ST), Poonch Haveli and Mendhar (ST).

The scrutiny of nomination papers for the first phase ended on Wednesday. The nomination papers of 34 candidates were rejected for lack of the required documents.

The nomination papers of Sarjan Ahmad Wagay alias Sarjan Barkati were also rejected. Authorities said that the lack of an oath certificate was the reason behind the rejection of Barkati's papers.

In a handout issued here, the authorities said that the authorised person of the candidate, Sarjan Ahmad Wagay, filed the nomination papers on behalf of the candidate on August 27, 2024, at 2.55 p.m. (the last date of filing of nomination papers) in the office of Returning Officer, 36 Zainapora. On examination of nomination papers, “it was found it lacked an oath Certificate (which is a mandatory requirement under Section 16 of the J&K Reorganization Act 2019) duly signed by the Superintendent of Central Jail Srinagar, as the candidate is under detention in Central Jail Srinagar."

“The oath has to be duly subscribed by the candidate under detention before the Jail Superintendent before the date of scrutiny and the Oath certificate duly by the Jail Superintendent can be filed at the time of Scrutiny of Nomination papers as per the time set by the Returning officer. Accordingly, the authorised person of the candidate was handed over the prescribed checklist/acknowledgement form duly signed by RO to produce an Oath certificate and other deficient documents, latest by 11 a.m. on August 28, 2024. The candidate failed to produce the required documents by the specified time," he said.

“The authorised person of the candidate submitted an invalid and incomplete Oath Certificate at 1:48 p.m. on WhatsApp, which is not the prescribed mode of submission of an oath certificate. Further, even the oath certificate submitted was incomplete and not accompanied by the certificate from the Superintendent of Jail stating that the oath had been made and subscribed before him within the permissible time. In view of the mandatory requirement of oath under Section 16 of the JK Reorganisation Act 2019, the Returning officer was constrained to reject the nomination papers at the time of scrutiny,” the authorities said.

--IANS

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