The Jammu & Kashmir cabinet recommended to the Lieutenant Governor on Wednesday that the Assembly convene its autumn session starting October 13. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah chaired the cabinet meeting, which included attendance from all ministers involved.
Sources indicate that the Assembly session is expected to last a week, running from October 13 to 20. The urgency follows stipulations in the Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, which mandates that no more than six months can elapse between assembly sessions.
According to the Act, “The Lieutenant Governor shall, from time to time, summon the Legislative Assembly to meet at such time and place as he thinks fit, but six months shall not intervene between its last sitting in one session and the date appointed for its first sitting in the next session.” This provision underscores the necessity of convening the Assembly given that the last sitting occurred on April 29 of this year.
As a result, the next session must occur before the deadline of October 28. Topics like statehood and reservations for certain groups are likely to dominate discussions during this critical assembly session.
In the previous Assembly meeting, discussions surrounding statehood resulted in three resolutions lapsing due to disruptions primarily caused by the National Conference. These disruptions followed a rejected adjournment motion concerning the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025.
The topic of reservation also surfaced frequently, highlighting concerns about government policies. The President of the People’s Conference and MLA from Handwara, Sajad Gani Lone, emphasized criticism toward the government on this matter during House discussions.
In summary, the forthcoming session of the Jammu & Kashmir Assembly from October 13 provides a platform for crucial discussions affecting the state’s governance and addressing pressing issues from the previous Assembly interactions.
