Waqf Act, Pahari quota, officers’ transfer set to raise J&K assembly temperature today

The second part of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly budget session is set to be tumultuous over issues including the Waqf (Amendment) Act, the 10% reservation for the Pahari community, and the transfer of 48 administrative officers by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha. Opposition parties are challenging these decisions, calling for state autonomy.

JAMMU: The second part of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly budget session, beginning Monday after a 12-day recess, is expected to be stormy over Waqf (Amendment) Act, 10% reservation for Pahari community, and the transfer of 48 Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service officers by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha. While BJP has openly defended the L-G’s decisions regarding the reservation and officers’ transfer, National Conference and its alliance partners, in a meeting chaired by CM Omar Abdullah, passed a resolution urging the L-G and the Centre to respect the people’s mandate by leaving executive decisions to the state govt. Meanwhile, PDP’s Fayaz Ahmad Mir, AIP’s Sheikh Khursheed, and National Conference’s Ahsan Pardesi have submitted Private Members’ Bills seeking a ban on alcohol in the state.

National Conference MLA Qaisar Jamshaid Lone, his party colleague Hilal Akbar Lone, and Independent member Shabir Ahmad Kullay are set to move resolutions seeking the restoration of statehood to J&K..