Omar Abdullah, J&K CM
Credit: PTI Photo
Srinagar: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is expected to soon release a comprehensive set of business rules for Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), which will define the roles, responsibilities, and powers of the Chief Minister, Cabinet Ministers and Administrative Secretaries in the Union Territory (UT).
The draft of these rules has been prepared by the J&K government after extensive consultations with various stakeholders, including political leaders, bureaucrats, and legal experts, sources said. Once finalised, these rules will outline the functioning of the UT machinery under the revised governance framework following the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.
The business rules, sources say, will bring clarity to the distribution of executive powers among the different offices in the J&K administration. They are expected to address key aspects of governance, such as delegation of powers to secretaries and the overall decision-making process within the government.
The draft rules have already been forwarded to the MHA for review and approval. Once cleared, the business rules will help streamline the governance process in J&K, ensuring greater efficiency and accountability in the administration.
The powers of the Lieutenant Governor, which include authority over the Home Department and All India Services (AIS), have already been clearly defined under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019. While the Act has delineated many responsibilities, the formal Business Rules will provide further clarity in key areas.
The rules will also play a key role in providing a clear legal and operational structure to the governance model, which is expected to be in line with the constitutional changes made in 2019.
Officials from the J&K government are hopeful that once the MHA approves the business rules, the formal notification will be issued, marking the next phase in the political and administrative restructuring of the region.