Jammu Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said that he has no objection to dissolving the Legislative Assembly and going for fresh elections, provided the Union government fulfils its commitment to restore statehood.
His remarks come in the backdrop of the Supreme Court’s December 2023 verdict, which directed the Centre to restore statehood to Jammu Kashmir at the earliest and conduct Assembly elections by September 2024.
Additionally, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking on the floor of Parliament, had reaffirmed his government’s commitment to restoring statehood, though no specific timeline was provided.
“I read a newspaper report saying that statehood will be restored but fresh elections would follow. Let them do it. Who is stopping them?” Omar said while addressing reporters in Gulmarg. “We are not an obstacle. This statehood is the right of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. If that means fresh elections, we are ready.”
He alleged that speculative media stories were being planted to deter MLAs from supporting the process.
“If you are trying to scare MLAs with Assembly dissolution, go ahead. The moment statehood is returned, we will ourselves go to the Governor and recommend dissolution. Don’t try to intimidate us. Stop planting stories. Statehood is not for any government—it belongs to the people.”
Jammu Kashmir was stripped of its statehood and special constitutional status in August 2019, when Article 370 was abrogated and the region was bifurcated into two Union Territories.
Since then, the demand for restoration of statehood has remained central to political discourse, with the Supreme Court and the country’s top leadership both acknowledging its importance.
- News Deskhttps://thekashmiriyat.co.uk/author/kashmiriyat/
- News Deskhttps://thekashmiriyat.co.uk/author/kashmiriyat/
- News Deskhttps://thekashmiriyat.co.uk/author/kashmiriyat/
- News Deskhttps://thekashmiriyat.co.uk/author/kashmiriyat/
