July 13th 2024.
The Centre has recently made a significant change in the authority of the lieutenant governor in Jammu and Kashmir. This change now allows the lieutenant governor to make decisions on crucial matters such as police, all-India services officers, and granting sanctions for prosecution in various cases. Prior to this change, these decisions required approval from the finance department of Jammu and Kashmir before reaching the lieutenant governor. However, with the new rules under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, the lieutenant governor has been given more power to directly handle these proposals through the chief secretary of the Union territory.
This move by the Union Home Ministry has been met with criticism from the opposition, who view it as a step towards disempowering the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The act, which was passed alongside the abrogation of Article 370, divided the erstwhile state into two Union Territories - Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The Supreme Court has directed for the restoration of statehood in Jammu and Kashmir and holding elections to the assembly by September 30, 2024.
The Centre's decision has been met with disapproval from various political parties in Jammu and Kashmir. The National Conference and the People's Democratic Party have labelled it as an attempt to undermine the power of an elected government. The Congress has condemned it as a murder of democracy. The Apni Party has called for a unified protest against this decision.
With the new rules in place, the lieutenant governor's role in bureaucratic matters has also been amplified. Proposals for postings and transfers of administrative secretaries, IAS and IPS officers will now be routed through the lieutenant governor's office. This has raised concerns about the implications of having a powerless and rubber stamp chief minister who would need the lieutenant governor's approval even for minor appointments.
Despite acknowledging the timing of the decision in relation to upcoming elections, there is a strong need for a clear commitment towards restoring full statehood for Jammu and Kashmir. The people of the region deserve better than a powerless and rubber stamp CM who would have to beg the lieutenant governor for even minor appointments. The self-anointed non-biological PM has also promised the restoration of full-fledged statehood for Jammu and Kashmir, but the recent decision by the Centre suggests otherwise.
The Centre's decision to grant additional powers to the lieutenant governor has raised concerns about the potential impact on the upcoming assembly elections and the reluctance of the Centre to relinquish control in Jammu and Kashmir. It has been viewed as an attempt to limit the powers of any future elected government in the region. This has sparked a call for unity among political parties to oppose the Centre's decision and ensure that the statehood granted to Jammu and Kashmir is not hollow and has all the necessary powers to serve the interests of the people. The path to true statehood restoration should not be hindered by this move, which has been described by many as a murder of democracy.
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