Supriya Sule asks Centre to hold assembly elections in J&K at the earliest

New Delhi, Dec 12 (PTI) NCP MP of the Sharad Pawar faction Supriya Sule Tuesday demanded that the Centre hold assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir and restore its statehood at the earliest.

She raised the issue during a debate in the Lok Sabha on the two bills to extend the provisions of the women’s reservation law to the Union Territories of Puducherry and Jammu and Kashmir.

On December 11, a five-judge Constitution bench headed by CJI D Y Chandrachud, in a landmark verdict, unanimously upheld the Centre’s August 5, 2019, decision to abrogate Article 370 provisions and directed restoration of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir at the earliest and holding the assembly elections by September 30, 2024.

Referring to this judgement, Sule said elections must be held within the stipulated time and sought to know by when the Centre would restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.

Earlier in the day, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai introduced the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Second Amendment) Bill and the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha.

The two bills seek to enable greater representation and participation of women as public representatives in law-making processes in the legislative assemblies of Puducherry and Jammu and Kashmir.

Officially known as the Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, the law seeks to provide 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.

Participating in the debate on these bills, JD (U) member Kaushalendra Kumar also raised the issue of assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. “People of Jammu and Kashmir should get the right to choose their government. Ladakh should also get statehood,” he said.

Gurjeet Singh Aujla of the Congress also flagged the matter.

National Conference’s Hasnain Masoodi alleged the Centre has given the powers to bureaucrats to rule Jammu and Kashmir. He added that the Center is claiming normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir but that is “half-truth”.

“Why are you running from holding elections,” he asked.

Shiv Sena leader Krupal Balaji Tumane demanded Unform Civil Code in the country.

The other members who participated in the discussions include N K Premachandran of RSP, Jaskaur Meena of the BJP, Arvind Sawant from Shiv Sena (UBT), Malook Nagar of the BSP, and Bhartruhari Mahtab of the BJD.