SRINAGAR: Political parties in Jammu and Kashmir, barring the BJP, have opposed the Central government’s move to give more powers to the Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory for making decisions on matters related to police and All India Service (AIS) officers. They have termed it as a “murder of democracy” saying J&K CM will be a rubber stamp, and that the Assembly’s authority would be diminished.
“People of J&K deserve better than powerless, rubber stamp CM who will have to beg the LG to get his/her peon appointed,” former J&K chief minister and NC vice president Omar Abdullah posted on X.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has amended the transaction of business of the Government of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir Rules, 2019. As per the amendments, proposals relating to the transfer of administrative secretaries and cadre posts of All India Service (AIS) officers shall be submitted to the Lt Governor by the administrative secretary, general administration department through the chief secretary.
As per amendments, no proposal that requires previous concurrence of the finance department on the ‘police’ ‘public order’, ‘All India Service’ and ‘Anti -Corruption Bureau’ to exercise the discretion of Lt Governor under the Act, shall be concurred or rejected unless it has been placed before the Lt Governor through the chief secretary.
PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti’s daughter and her media advisor, Iltija Mufti said that at a time when there’s been considerable speculation about Assembly elections in J&K, the new MHA order widening the already unbridled powers of an unelected LG make a few things abundantly clear.
“The assembly elections will be conducted this year itself. The order seeks to disempower the powers of the next J&K state government only because BJP doesn’t want to cede control or lose its iron grip over Kashmiris,” Iltija Mufti said.
“Statehood is out of the question. An elected government in J&K will be reduced to a municipality,” Iltija posted on X.
Apni Party chief Altaf Bukhari appealed to all parties of J&K to forge unity to collectively advocate for the restoration of J&K’s statehood with all the powers it held before August 5, 2019.
“Amending the J&K Reorganization Act to Increase LG’s powers will eventually weaken the state, diminish the Assembly’s authority, and undermine the elected government in the future,” he said.
