‘Will disempower people’: Parties on Centre’s move to give L-G more teeth

Adil Akhzer

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Srinagar, July 13

Political parties in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday criticised the Union government for handing over more powers to the UT’s Lieutenant Governor ahead of the upcoming Assembly election, which are likely to be held later this year. In a notification on Friday, Union Home Ministry amended the transaction of business of the Government of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir Rules. Political experts in the Valley said the fresh move by the Union government indicates that J&K L-G will control the bureaucracy.

While the National Conference and the PDP said the decision would “disempower” the people of Jammu and Kashmir, the Congress termed it as the “murder of democracy” and the Apni Party urged all parties to shun differences and unitedly protest against the move.

National Conference vice president and former chief minister Omar Abdullah, while stating that this is another indicator that elections are around the corner in Jammu and Kashmir, said, “This is why a firm commitment laying out the timeline for restoration of full, undiluted statehood for J&K is a prerequisite for these elections.”

CM will have to beg

This is why a firm commitment laying out the timeline for restoration of full, undiluted statehood for J&K is a prerequisite for these elections. The people of J&K deserve better than powerless, rubber stamp CM who will have to beg the L-G to get his/her peon appointed. —Omar Abdullah, Vice President, NC

BJP’s ploy for power

The order seeks to disempower the powers of the next J&K government only because BJP doesn’t want to cede control or lose its iron grip over Kashmiris. Government of India is well aware if and when state elections are held in J&K, a non-BJP government will be elected. —Iltija Mufti, PDP media adviser

Murder of democracy

The murder of democracy in Jammu and Kashmir is evident before the restoration of proper democracy and statehood. The MHA gave more powers, including the police, law and order, and the transfer of officers, etc. to the Lieutenant Governor. —Vikar Rasool Wani, JKPCC president

“The people of Jammu and Kashmir deserve better than powerless, rubber stamp CM who will have to beg the L-G to get his/her peon appointed,” he said.

As per the amendments done by the Union Home Ministry, the proposals relating to the transfer of administrative secretaries and cadre posts of All India Service (AIS) officers will be submitted to the L-G by the administrative secretary, General Administration Department, through the Chief Secretary.

In the J&K Reorganization Act 2019, it has already been mentioned that transfers of All India Service (AIS) officers will be under the control of L-G.

Political experts in the Valley say that even after Union government holds elections in Jammu and Kashmir and an elected government is formed, the L-G will continue to run the show.

“By this move, the Centre has further clarified that the L-G will continue to wield power and control the bureaucracy and will have effective authority on the administration,” Noor Baba, a Srinagar-based political commentator said. He said this position can only change when Jammu and Kashmir is granted full-fledged statehood on the lines of other states of Union of India.

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti’s media advisor Iltija Mufti said the move would reduce an elected government in Jammu and Kashmir to a municipality.

Iltija said the MHA order “widening the already unbridled powers of an unelected L-G makes a few things abundantly clear,” including that “assembly elections will be conducted this year itself.”

“The order seeks to disempower the powers of the next J&K government only because BJP doesn’t want to cede control or lose its iron grip over Kashmiris,” she wrote on X. “Government of India is well aware if and when state elections are held in Jammu and Kashmir a non-BJP government will be elected.”

Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee president Vikar Rasool Wani termed the decision as a “murder of democracy”. “The murder of democracy in Jammu and Kashmir is evident before the restoration of proper democracy and statehood. MHA gave more powers, including the police, law and order, and the transfer of officers, etc., to the L-G,” Wani said on X

He also said the elected chief minister and his council will be required to adhere to the directives of the L-G, while also remaining accountable to the people.

Apni Party chief Altaf Bukhari appealed to Jammu and Kashmir’s political parties to shun differences and unitedly raise voices against the Centre’s move. “This new decision aims at making the state hollow in which no powers will be left for an elected government… The people of Jammu and Kashmir do not support this,” Bukhari said at a press conference here.

Bukhari, a former minister, said if the Centre wants to create a “powerless assembly” in Jammu and Kashmir, it will not be acceptable.