J&K awaits full statehood, Centre’s recent moves added to LG’s powers: Cong after polls announcement

New Delhi, Aug 16 (PTI) Noting that Jammu and Kashmir still awaits full statehood, the Congress on Friday alleged the recent moves by the Union government have only added to the powers of the Lieutenant Governor there, “making a mockery of the powers of a duly elected state government”.

The opposition party’s remarks came soon after the Election Commission announced that the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir will be held in three phases from September 18 while Haryana will go to polls in a single phase on October 1.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, “For the past five years, the Indian National Congress has been consistently demanding that full statehood should be restored to J&K and that assembly elections should be conducted. J&K still awaits full statehood.”

“Recent moves by the Union Govt have only added to the powers of the LG there, making a mockery of the powers of a duly elected state government,” Ramesh said in a post on X.

The votes will be counted on October 4 for both the assemblies, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar told a press conference here.

The last assembly elections were held in Jammu and Kashmir in November-December 2014 and these will be the first assembly elections in the erstwhile state since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.

Last month, the Centre vested more powers in the lieutenant governor of Jammu and Kashmir for taking decisions on the police, officers of all-India services such as the IAS and the IPS, and giving sanctions for prosecution in various cases.

The 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 (L-G).

These powers were given to the L-G by amending the rules issued under the Jammu and 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.