J&K Assembly session likely from Oct 13, to take up MLA arrest, flood damage

The Jammu and Kashmir Cabinet on Tuesday recommended convening a weeklong session of the J&K Legislative Assembly starting October 13. The proposal has been forwarded to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha for approval following a cabinet meeting held in Srinagar.

The meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, was attended by the Council of Ministers, including Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary, other cabinet members, and Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo.

Government sources told The Tribune that the autumn session is expected to last about a week, concluding around October 20, and will likely be held in Srinagar.

The upcoming session is anticipated to be contentious. Legislators—except those from the BJP—are expected to raise the detention of Aam Aadmi Party MLA Mehraj Malik, who was booked under the stringent Public Safety Act by the Doda District Magistrate earlier this month.

Other pressing issues slated for discussion include the damage suffered by apple farmers following the prolonged closure of the Srinagar-Jammu national highway and the destruction caused by recent floods across the union territory. Additionally, the session may address the delay in reviewing the quota policy.

A J&K government spokesperson said the cabinet meeting focused on governance and development priorities. “Several important decisions concerning public welfare, administrative efficiency, and developmental projects across Jammu and Kashmir were taken,” the spokesperson added.

In April, the Assembly was adjourned sine die after three days of uproar over the contentious Waqf (Amendment) Act. Legislators from Valley-based parties, including the National Conference, had demanded a discussion on the Act, which was not held.

The Legislative Assembly was last convened in April when Lieutenant Governor Sinha summoned a one-day session to unanimously condemn the terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, in which 26 people were killed.