First ever session of Jammu & Kashmir UT Assembly to commence on Monday

Srinagar: The first ever session of Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory Assembly is scheduled to begin on Monday amid heightened security arrangements in the wake of recent spurt in terror attacks in the Union Territory (UT).

The assembly session will take place at the assembly complex in Srinagar, where newly-elected members will convene to discuss crucial issues, including potential tabling of a statehood Bill.

J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in his capacity as the chairman of the National Conference (NC) legislature party called a meeting of legislators from the NC-led government alliance later in the evening to coordinate their strategy for the session.

The agenda includes discussions on key issues, the election of the assembly speaker, and strategies for addressing Opposition challenges, a senior NC leader said. “For the alliance, this session represents both a challenge and an opportunity to solidify its legislative influence.”

It will be interesting to see if the ruling NC passes any resolution against the August 5, 2019 decisions of the central government that led to the bifurcation of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories and abrogation of Articles 370 and 35-A.

Passing of such a resolution is a promise made by the ruling party in its election manifesto. In its first Cabinet meeting, Omar-led government passed a resolution urging the central government to restore statehood to J&K. The ruling party was criticised by Valley-based opposition parties for not passing a resolution against August 5, 2019 decisions on abrogation of Article 370.

If NC moves such a resolution, Congress will find itself in a tight spot. Congress has not opposed the revocation of Article 370 and 35-A but it has only objected to the way it was done. However, passing such a resolution is also a big risk for the newly-elected government as far as its relations with the central government are concerned.

A resolution for restoration of autonomy passed by J&K assembly in 2000 had also strained the relations between the then BJP-led central government and the NC-led state government. The resolution was then outrightly rejected by the Union government-led by Atal Behari Vajpayee.

The BJP, having 29 members in the assembly, is expected to mount a strong opposition, particularly around the question of statehood, potentially creating hurdles for the coalition government.

This will be for the first time that J&K will not be having a Legislative Council (Upper House). In the past, the erstwhile J&K state had two Houses and the legislature had also members from Ladakh region. But now, Ladakh is a separate Union Territory without an assembly.

The session follows the recent elections in which National-Conference (NC) and Congress alliance won 48 out of 90 seats.

In view of recent terror attacks, security has been heightened around the assembly complex to ensure the safety of all attendees.