On Saturday, Iltija Mufti, leader of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and daughter of Mehbooba Mufti, remarked that the incoming government in Jammu and Kashmir would be a “toothless tiger,” while its chief minister would be nothing more than a “rubber stamp” and a “glorified mayor” of a “municipality.”
Jammu and Kashmir are set to form a new government after the results of the Assembly elections, held after a decade-long gap, are announced on October 8.
“With the Lieutenant Governor nominating five MLAs and the chief secretary changing the transaction of business rules, it’s clear that the incoming government will be a toothless tiger,” Iltija said in a post on X. “How much more will the Government of India strip Jammu and Kashmir of any semblance of authority and autonomy? Rubber stamp CM = Glorified mayor of a municipality (sic),” she added.
Iltija Mufti, who contested the assembly polls from Bijbehara in Anantnag district, made these comments amidst growing concerns over the dilution of power in the Union Territory.
The J&K Reorganisation Act of 2019 states that the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir’s Union Territory can nominate two members to the Legislative Assembly to ensure representation for women if, in the LG’s opinion, women are underrepresented. However, a July 2023 amendment to the Act allowed for the nomination of three additional members to the Assembly—two from the Kashmiri migrant community, including a woman, and one representing ‘displaced persons from Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.’
Iltija’s remarks about the chief secretary followed claims made by National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah, who alleged that the Lieutenant Governor’s administration was attempting to limit the powers of the incoming government.
“The BJP has clearly accepted defeat in J&K. Why else would the chief secretary be tasked with changing the transaction of business rules to curtail the powers of the chief minister/elected government and assign them to the LG?” Abdullah posted on X. He further advised officials to resist any pressure to disempower the elected government.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, however, dismissed Abdullah’s claims as “misleading and speculative,” stating that “there is not even an iota of truth, as there is absolutely no such proposal.”
The three-phase Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir concluded on October 1, recording a voter turnout of 63.88%. The results will be announced on October 8.