New Delhi: In a significant political development, President Droupadi Murmu has officially revoked President’s Rule in Jammu and Kashmir, paving the way for a new government led by the National Conference (NC) in alliance with the Congress. This decision follows the recent Assembly elections held in the Union Territory, as confirmed by an official order issued by the Union Home Ministry. In the gazette notification, the Home Ministry stated, “In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 73 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 (34 of 2019) read with Articles 239 and 239A of the Constitution of India, the order dated October 31, 2019, about the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir shall stand revoked immediately before the appointment of the Chief Minister under Section 54 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019.”
The decision comes after NC Vice-President Omar Abdullah met with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday to stake his claim for forming a new government following the recent electoral victory. The Assembly elections marked a momentous occasion as they were conducted for the first time in a decade, with the NC and Congress alliance winning a total of 48 seats in the 90-member Assembly, solidifying their position in the region. Omar Abdullah has been elected as the leader of the alliance and is set to assume the role of Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, marking a significant return to power for the NC after years of political turmoil.
The Congress party, while instrumental in the alliance's success, secured six seats in the elections. The political landscape of Jammu and Kashmir underwent a dramatic shift on October 31, 2019, when President’s Rule was initially imposed following the bifurcation of the erstwhile state into two Union Territories: Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. This change was enacted under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, which also resulted in the abrogation of Article 370, a provision that granted special status to the region.
Prior to the imposition of President's Rule, the Central government had been in control since June 2017 after the then Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti resigned following the Bharatiya Janata Party's withdrawal of support to the People’s Democratic Party-led government. With the NC-Congress alliance now poised to lead, many are hopeful that this new government will address the pressing issues facing the people of Jammu and Kashmir and restore a sense of political stability in the region.