Srinagar: In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), major political parties including the National Conference (NC), Congress, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have united in opposition to the nomination of five new Assembly members by the BJP-installed Lieutenant Governor (LG).
According to Kashmir Media Service, the NC, Congress, and PDP are preparing to challenge the LG’s decision in the Indian Supreme Court, labeling the nominations an unconstitutional attempt to alter electoral outcomes. These parties have expressed significant concerns regarding the nominations, which they view as a move to manipulate the legislative composition in favor of the BJP.
The dispute stems from recent amendments to the IIOJK Reorganization Act, 2019, specifically a July 2023 amendment that expanded the LG’s authority to nominate members. Originally, the act allowed for two women to be nominated if underrepresented, but the amendment increased this number to include two individuals from the Kashmiri migrant community and one from the displaced persons from Azad Jammu and Kashmir, sparking this legal controversy.