The Jammu and Kashmir assembly passed a resolution seeking the restoration of the region’s statehood and referencing its previous autonomy, triggering a sharp political clash between the ruling coalition and opposition legislators. Leader of the Opposition Sunil Sharma stated on Tuesday that the legislative move would severely strain relations between New Delhi and the Union Territory, urging Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo to withhold the document from the central government.
Resolution Sparks Opposition Walkout and Bureaucratic Dispute
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah moved the resolution on Monday, which was subsequently adopted amid protests and a walkout by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators. The opposition lawmakers accused the ruling National Conference (NC) and Congress parties of being anti-national due to the text’s explicit reference to the autonomy resolution originally passed by the House in 2000.
Ahead of the assembly session, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo and Law Secretary gave their opinion to the assembly secretariat, advising against taking up the resolution on the grounds that the constitutional issue remains sub judice. That correspondence drew sharp criticism from National Conference leaders. During assembly proceedings, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah stated that he serves as the law minister but was unaware that his law secretary was dispatching such opinions to the secretariat.
BJP Demands Speaker’s Resignation and Bureaucratic Intervention
Opposition leader Sunil Sharma defended the actions of both bureaucrats, asserting that they provided the correct constitutional assessment. Sharma argued that the assembly secretariat should not have processed the document and called directly on the chief secretary to discard it rather than forward it to the Union government.
“Already the chief secretary and the law secretary gave their opinion to the assembly that they cannot discuss the resolution as the issue is sub judice. Their communication to the assembly secretariat ahead of the resolution is an indication that the resolution is anti-Constitution. We expect the chief secretary not to forward the resolution to the Centre and throw it away,” Sharma told reporters.
In addition to blocking the transmittal of the resolution, the BJP demanded the resignation of Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather. Sharma accused the speaker of overstepping bounds by permitting the introduction of the resolution alongside amendments that referenced autonomy and condemned the abrogation of Article 370—a move previously upheld by the Supreme Court of India. The BJP has formally filed a motion in the assembly against Speaker Rather.
Union Government Reaction and Legislative Routing Debate
According to Sharma, the central government harbors strong reservations regarding the assembly’s action. The opposition leader claimed he met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Sunday, during which Shah expressed displeasure over the resolution, warning that it could encourage separatism in Jammu and Kashmir.
Sharma relayed that Shah maintained statehood would be restored to the region at an appropriate time, but emphasized that actions threatening peace and stability would not be tolerated. Meanwhile, procedural debates continued over how the document reached executive desks. Sources indicated the assembly secretariat forwarded the resolution to the chief secretary for routing to the central government. However, NC legislator and retired judge Justice Hasnain Masoodi argued that the secretariat should have transmitted the document directly to New Delhi, bypassing the chief secretary entirely.
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