Lagatar24 Desk
Srinagar: Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah, voiced strong criticism on Saturday regarding the central government’s recent amendments to the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. The amendments grant increased powers to the Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory (UT), sidelining the potential influence of an elected Chief Minister.
Abdullah, reacting to the Union home ministry’s decision to amend the Transaction of Business (ToB) rules, stated, “Jammu and Kashmir deserves better than a ‘powerless’ chief minister.” He emphasized that these changes suggest imminent assembly elections in the region, which transitioned to a UT in October 2019 following the abrogation of Article 370 in August that year.
“Another indication that elections are around the corner in J&K. This is why a firm commitment laying out the timeline of restoration of full, undiluted statehood for J&K is a prerequisite for these elections. The people deserve better than a powerless, rubber stamp CM who will have to beg the LG for to get his/her peon appointed,” Abdullah posted on X (formerly Twitter).
In December last year, the Supreme Court upheld the abrogation of Article 370, which had granted special status to the region. The apex court also directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to conduct assembly polls in the UT by September 30, 2024.
The previous assembly elections in J&K took place in December 2014. The region has been without a government or chief minister since June 2018, following the collapse of the coalition government run by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Mehbooba Mufti, PDP chief, was the Chief Minister in the alliance government.
The recent amendments introduce a new sub-rule (2A) in rule 5, which mandates that any proposal requiring the Finance Department’s prior concurrence concerning ‘Police’, ‘Public Order’, ‘All India Service’, and ‘Anti Corruption Bureau’ must be presented to the Lieutenant Governor through the Chief Secretary. Additionally, new rules 42A and 42B state that appointments of law officers, including the Advocate General, require the LG’s approval, and decisions on prosecution sanctions must be routed through the Chief Secretary via the Law Department.
These changes have intensified the debate on the governance and administrative framework of Jammu and Kashmir, with political leaders like Omar Abdullah demanding a clear roadmap for the restoration of its full statehood ahead of the upcoming elections.
