President Murmu Revokes President’s Rule in Jammu and Kashmir, Paving Way for NC-Congress Government
In a significant political development, President Droupadi Murmu has revoked President’s Rule in Jammu and Kashmir, facilitating the formation of a new government led by a National Conference (NC)-Congress alliance following the recently concluded Assembly elections. This decision was formalized through a gazette notification issued by the Union Home Ministry.
The order, which references the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act of 2019, allows for the appointment of a Chief Minister prior to the revival of local governance. This move follows a meeting between NC Vice-President Omar Abdullah and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, during which Abdullah staked the claim to form the new government.
The Assembly elections, the first in a decade, saw the NC-Congress alliance emerge victorious with a combined total of 48 seats, despite the Congress securing only six seats. The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly consists of 90 seats and the elections were conducted over three phases.
Omar Abdullah has been elected as the leader of the alliance and is set to assume the role of Chief Minister. The revocation of President’s Rule, imposed on October 31, 2019, followed the bifurcation of the erstwhile state into two Union Territories: Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. This change also coincided with the abrogation of Article 370, which had previously granted special status to the state.
Before the imposition of President’s Rule, Central governance had been in place since June 2017, following the resignation of then Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, when the BJP withdrew support from the PDP-led coalition government. The return to an elected government marks a pivotal moment in Jammu and Kashmir’s political landscape.
