Jammu, Oct 22: With political temperatures rising, the nine-day autumn session of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, beginning today, is set to witness heated exchanges as opposition parties prepare to take on the ruling National Conference (NC)-led government over unfulfilled election promises, reservation policies, and the demand for restoration of statehood.
The session, which will include six sittings, will commence with obituary references for six former legislators who passed away since the last budget session held in Jammu.
According to sources, opposition benches are likely to launch a strong offensive against the government, accusing it of failing to deliver on its electoral assurances. The BJP has indicated plans to question the administration over issues such as governance lapses, job creation, and public welfare measures.
Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma said the BJP will demand answers from the government for “betraying the public mandate.” “The government has failed to deliver on its commitments—be it 200 free units of electricity, 12 LPG cylinders per household, or creating jobs for the youth. We will demand answers for every broken promise,” he said.
He added that unemployment remains a major concern, with no visible progress on the government’s pledge to create one lakh jobs. “The youth of Jammu and Kashmir are disillusioned. We will ask what the government has done for them in the past year,” Sharma remarked.
Besides the BJP, other regional parties such as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peoples Conference (PC), and Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) are expected to raise issues concerning reservation rationalisation, developmental disparities, and restoration of statehood.
The Assembly Secretariat recently disallowed a resolution submitted by PC president Sajad Gani Lone seeking the restoration of statehood, citing the issue as sub judice. The decision has drawn criticism from the opposition, which termed it an “undemocratic move” aimed at stifling debate.
The session is also expected to see the introduction of three key government bills — amendments to the Jammu & Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act, 1989, and the Goods & Services Tax Act, 2017, besides the new Jammu and Kashmir Shops and Business Establishments Bill, 2025.
Meanwhile, the Assembly Secretariat has received 450 questions, 13 private members’ bills, and 55 private members’ resolutions for consideration. Around 33 private members’ bills pending from the previous session will be prioritised on October 28, designated for private members’ business.
In preparation for the session, the Business Advisory Committee met at the Speaker’s office to finalise the time allocation for legislative business.
Political observers say this session could be a defining moment for the NC-led government, testing its ability to handle mounting opposition pressure while balancing legislative priorities with public expectations. The debates in the coming days are expected to set the tone for Jammu and Kashmir’s political narrative in the run-up to the next general elections.
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Assembly speaker has admitted two private member resolutions by PDP leader Wahid-ur-Rehman Para, one of which seeks restoration of J&K Waqf Board and handing it over to a religious conglomerate headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.
The second private member’s bill is about restoration of J&K cadre of IAS, IPS, KAS and KPS officers, an official said.
