Congress Opposes J&K’s Five MLA Nominations

J&K Gets Five MLAs Before First Vote Counted; Opposition Furious

With the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly election results set to be announced on October 8, the Congress vehemently opposed the nomination of five members to the assembly before the new government formation. The party labeled the move as an “attack on democratic principles.”

On Friday, Congress leaders called on Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to refrain from approving the nominations of five representatives. Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) senior vice president Ravinder Sharma stated, “We oppose the lieutenant governor’s decision to nominate five MLAs before the government formation. Any such move is an assault on democracy, the people’s mandate, and the fundamental principles of the Constitution.”

The Congress demanded that nominations occur only after the new government is in place, arguing that any other approach would betray the people’s mandate. The nominations, advised by the Home Ministry and approved by the lieutenant governor, are part of amendments made to the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. A recent revision on July 26, 2023, enables this process, expanding the assembly to 95 members.

Sharma vowed that Congress would fight this move “tooth and nail,” highlighting the BJP’s attempts to manipulate election results in their favor. “This showcases the BJP’s desperation to alter numbers despite lacking the means to form a government,” he added.

Under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, the lieutenant governor has the authority to nominate five members, including representation for Kashmiri Pandits (KPs) and refugees from Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). However, Sharma argued that the lieutenant governor should only act based on the advice of the council of ministers, which would form after the elections.

“Misusing the nomination provision to alter majority or minority status post-election would be detrimental,” Sharma stated. He emphasized that premature nominations would undermine the election’s outcome.

Sharma also criticized the BJP’s unfulfilled promises to provide adequate representation in the assembly for PoJK refugees, KPs, and other minorities. “The BJP promised fair representation, yet they are proposing only one seat for the PoJK community, compared to their earlier commitment of eight,” he noted.

He referenced the Sikkim assembly model, which reserves seats for Buddhist monastic communities as a better example of ensuring minority representation.

Aakhir Tak Editor-in-Chief

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