Dy speaker’s post and five nominated seats vacant ahead of House session

SRINAGAR: L-G Manoj Sinha is yet to nominate five members to the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly even as the House is set to complete two years next month and the 10-day autumn session will begin on September 21. The Omar Abdullah government has not decided on the appointment of a deputy speaker.

In an affidavit filed before the J&K High Court in August last year, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has maintained that the L-G can nominate the five members without the “aid and advice” of the elected government. The MHA has said the nomination is a statutory function of the L-G and falls outside the business of the elected government.

The five nominations can include two Kashmiri Pandits including a woman, one member from the displaced PoJK community and two women if they are not adequately represented in the Assembly. The nominations will take the strength of the Assembly from 90 to 95.

The issue has remained politically contentious since the Omar government assumed office on October 16, 2024. The ruling NC and its Congress ally have been emphasising that the LG should make the nominations on the recommendation of the elected government.

J&K Congress chief spokesman Ravindra Kumar Sharma has also filed a writ petition in the High Court in October last year, challenging the constitutionality of the nomination of five members by the L-G.

The deputy speaker’s post has been vacant in the Assembly for the last two years. The BJP, the principal opposition party with 29 members, has been seeking the post, citing long-standing legislative convention of offering the position to the largest opposition party.

BJP leaders argue that giving the post to the opposition would strengthen democratic functioning and facilitate better coordination between the treasury benches and the opposition. However, the Omar government has shown no urgency.

In an affidavit filed before the J&K HC in August last year, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has maintained that the L-G can nominate the five members without the “aid and advice” of the elected government.