J&K: Detained MLA to vote through postal ballot for RS polls

Srinagar, Oct 18 J&K government said on Saturday that the high court has been informed that the detained MLA, Mehraj Malik, will exercise his right to vote during the Rajya Sabha polls, and arrangements for the same have already been made.

The government has informed the High Court of J&K and Ladakh that necessary arrangements have been made to ensure that the detained Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA, Mehraj Malik, can exercise his vote in the Rajya Sabha elections.

Appearing before Justice Rajesh Sekhri, Senior Advocate Sunil Sethi, along with Senior Additional Advocate General Monika Kohli, submitted that the government had already dispatched the postal ballot to the competent authority to facilitate Malik’s participation in the Rajya Sabha election scheduled for October 24, 2025, official sources said.

The submission came during the hearing of an application filed by Malik, seeking permission to cast his vote and participate in the upcoming assembly session.

While the petitioners, led by Advocate Rahul Pant and a team of lawyers, pressed for urgent consideration of both prayers, the government’s counsel clarified that steps had already been taken to address the voting aspect.

“However, the Court noted that the government’s reply to the application was not yet on record. It directed the registry to ensure the reply is properly placed and scheduled the matter for further hearing on October 27, 2025, specifically to consider the second prayer regarding Malik’s physical participation in the assembly session commencing October 23.

“The Court also directed the government to ensure that the detained MLA is allowed to cast his vote in accordance with the law,” official sources said.

Mehraj Malik was detained under the Public Safety Act (PSA) after a dossier prepared on his activities said that he had been acting in a manner detrimental to the maintenance of law and order in Doda district of J&K.

--IANS

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