The National Conference (NC) has expressed strong opposition to the lieutenant governor’s nomination of five MLAs to the Jammu Kashmir Assembly, calling it “unconstitutional and undemocratic.”
NC provincial president Rattan Lal Gupta asserted that only an elected government holds the constitutional authority to nominate MLAs, and such powers cannot be assumed by the lieutenant governor in the absence of an elected assembly.
“This move undermines the constitutional process,” Gupta stated. He added that the BJP’s efforts to manipulate the political landscape, instead of respecting the democratic will of the people, further erode public trust in fair governance.
Gupta emphasized that Jammu Kashmir deserves a government elected by the people, rather than one formed through questionable backdoor methods. He warned that actions undermining democratic principles would not be tolerated by the National Conference.
The nominations are part of a process introduced through amendments to the Jammu Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, which were revised on July 26, 2023. As a result, the Assembly’s membership will expand to 95, raising the majority threshold to 48 seats.