Newly elected MLAs to take oath in Srinagar, ending six-year legislative inactivity

SRINAGAR: The newly elected MLAs of Jammu and Kashmir will be administered the oath of office in the Legislative Assembly here on Monday, ending a six-year-long legislative hiatus.

Pro tem Speaker Mubarak Gul will administer the oath to the MLAs, who include 51 first-time members. The ceremony is scheduled to take place at 2 pm.

The National Conference (NC) emerged as the single largest party in the assembly polls held in September and October.

The oldest political party of Jammu and Kashmir has formed the government with external support from Congress, which has six MLAs. Five independent MLAs, one MLA from the AAP, and the CPI(M) have also extended their support.

The BJP with 29 seats is the second-largest party — its best-ever performance in the state.

BJP MLA from Kishtwar, Shagun Parihar is the youngest legislator at 29, while NC’s veteran and MLA from Chrar-e-Sharief, Abdul Rahim Rather, the oldest at 80.

Rather and party colleague Ali Mohammad Sagar (MLA Khanyar) are the only two people to have been elected to the assembly for a record seven terms.

While Sagar has been a member of the Legislative Assembly since 1983, Rather started his long stint as a legislator in 1977. However, the former finance minister lost the 2014 assembly elections.

There are three women MLAs in the house including Parihar, MLA of DH Pora Sakina Masood Itoo and MLA of Habba Kadal Shameema Firdous, both from NC. (PTI)