Omar Abdullah moves resolution seeking immediate restoration of J&K statehood

• Omar Abdullah moves a resolution seeking the immediate restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir amid BJP protests in the assembly

• The resolution calls on the Centre to restore statehood, with Abdullah saying delimitation and assembly elections have been completed but statehood remains pending

• The demand remains a key priority of the J&K government, with the Assembly resolution formally forwarding it to the Union government

Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Friday moved a resolution in the Legislative Assembly seeking the immediate restoration of full statehood to the Union Territory, amid noisy protests by BJP members in the House.

Abdullah moved the resolution after Question Hour as BJP legislators staged protests, with the assembly witnessing heated scenes.

The resolution calls upon the Government of India to restore full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and provides for it to be forwarded to the Union government.

While moving the resolution, Abdullah referred to the sequence of assurances given to Jammu and Kashmir following the Centre’s decision to reorganise the erstwhile state in 2019. He said people had been told that delimitation would be followed by assembly elections and subsequently by restoration of statehood.

“Delimitation has happened, elections have happened, statehood has not happened,” Abdullah said while stressing that the final step remained pending.

The resolution states that, in addition to earlier resolutions passed by the House on 26 June 2000, and 6 November 2024, the assembly calls upon the Centre for the “immediate and urgent restoration” of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.

The 6 November 2024, resolution was passed during the assembly’s first session after the 2024 elections and sought restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and constitutional guarantees. The latest resolution separately focuses on restoring full statehood.

The demand has remained a key issue for the Omar Abdullah-led National Conference government since it assumed office in October 2024. Soon after the elected government was formed, the UT Cabinet adopted a resolution seeking restoration of statehood.

Abdullah has repeatedly said that Jammu and Kashmir was assured that statehood would be restored after the Assembly elections. The latest resolution formally places that demand before the Union government through the elected legislature.

While moving the resolution, Abdullah said it was intended to remind the Centre of its commitment to restoring full statehood, including the responsibility for maintaining law and order.

The resolution comes during the sixth session of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, which began on 21 September and is scheduled to conclude on 30 September.

With IANS inputs