Jammu, March 29 (IANS): Eight persons on Wednesday filed nomination papers for the six vacant seats in the Upper House of Jammu and Kashmir bicameral legislature.

Among those who filed the nomination papers are ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) nominees Yasir Reshi and Abdul Qayoom Dar, and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) nominees Pradeep Sharma, Vikram Randhawa, Ashok Bhat and G.L. Raina.

Those who filed papers from the opposition are Balbir Singh (Congress) and Aga Syed Mehmood (National Conference).

Polling for six seats of the state legislative council (Upper House) will be held on April 17.

The 87 elected and two nominated members of the state legislative assembly form the electoral college for the legislative council.

The PDP and the BJP are fighting these elections in alliance while the Congress and the National Conference are supporting each other.

While the PDP has 28 members, its ally BJP has 25. The main opposition National Conference has 15 members in the state legislative assembly. The Congress has 12 seats.