look news india
Jammu and Kashmir: The Congress on Friday strongly opposed the appointment of five MLAs before government formation in Jammu and Kashmir and termed any such move as an attack on the basic principles of democracy and the Constitution. For the first time after Jammu and Kashmir became a Union Territory, three phases of voting have been completed. After a long gap of a decade, the five appointed MLAs will play an important role in the formation of the new government.
According to the report, the Lieutenant Governor (LG) will nominate these members on the basis of the recommendation of the Home Ministry. This process will be adopted for the first time after the amendment in Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019. The Act was amended on July 26, 2023. After the nomination of these five members by the LG, the strength of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly will increase to 95 members, increasing the majority mark to form the government to 48 seats.
Ravinder Sharma, senior vice president and chief spokesperson of Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee, told reporters in Jammu that we are against the appointment of five MLAs by the Lieutenant Governor before the formation of the government in Jammu and Kashmir. Any such step is an attack on the basic principles of democracy, public order and the Constitution. During this, JKPCC working president Raman Bhalla was also present with him. Both the leaders alleged that the BJP knows that it does not have the required numbers to form the government, hence it is trying to manipulate the mandate by appointing five MLAs.
Ravinder Sharma said that under the constitutional framework, the Lieutenant Governor should work on the advice of the Council of Ministers. Misuse of the provision of appointment of MLAs to change the majority or minority status after the elections will be harmful. As per the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, the LG has the power to appoint five MLAs, including those representing Kashmiri Pandits (KP) and refugees from Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).
He stressed that the Congress-NC alliance is expected to get a comfortable majority and premature appointment of 5 MLAs would be undemocratic and a betrayal of the public. The appointment process should begin only after the new government takes charge and recommends candidates for the nominated post. He also criticized the BJP for promising adequate representation in the Assembly for POJK refugees, KP and other minorities but failing to deliver.