Asaduddin Owaisi Slams Centre For ‘Gifting’ More Powers To J&K LG

HYDERABAD: The Union Home Ministry’s notification on Jammu and Kashmir granting more powers to the Lieutenant Governor was issued by the Centre, anticipating that the BJP will not be able to form a government there if elections are held, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said on Saturday.

In a social media post, the Hyderabad Lok Sabha MP attacked the NDA government on the powers given to the LG by the Union Home Ministry on Friday by amending the rules issued under the Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019.

Owaisi said the amendments encroach upon the subjects vested with an elected government under J&K Reorganisation.

“In anticipation that after elections (if they are held) the BJP will not be able to form a government almost all powers have been “gifted” to LG. The elected government will be a lame duck and will have no say in postings, security etc. It will be much like Puducherry,” he opined.

He further said JK Administrative Services (JKAS) officers could be posted as Administrative Secretaries only by LG making him be the “Super CM (Sixth Finger)”.

According to the notification, more powers were vested to the Lieutenant Governor (LG) of Jammu and Kashmir for taking decisions on police, officers of all-India services such as the IAS and the IPS, and giving sanction for prosecution in various cases.

Decisions regarding the appointment of advocate general and other law officers, besides matters related to the anti-corruption bureau will also be taken by the Lieutenant Governor (LG).

These powers were given to the LG by amending the rules issued under the Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, which was enacted for the bifurcation of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir into Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, while abrogating Article 370. (PTI)