Jammu and Kashmir Government to respond to Sinha’s objections over proposed business rules soon

J&K Chief Minister and Cabinet Ministers address objections from Lieutenant Governor over proposed business rules for Union Territory governance.

The Jammu and Kashmir Government on Monday (May 5, 2025) discussed and initiated the process to file replies to the objections raised by Raj Bhawan regarding the Transaction of Business Rules that will determine the role of the elected Government in the six-year-old Union Territory.

As J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah re-opened the Civil Secretariat in Srinagar as the summer capital on Monday (May 5, 2025), he and his Cabinet Ministers went into a huddle to discuss the objections raised by Lieutenant-Governor Manoj Sinha over the proposed business rules.

These rules are aimed at defining the administrative functioning and jurisdiction of the Lieutenant-Governor, the Chief Minister and the Council of Ministers in the Union Territory, which saw the first Assembly elections last year after J&K was downgraded to Union Territory status in 2019.

“Some queries were raised by the Raj Bhawan. Those have been addressed. Mr. Abdullah and his Cabinet met today in Srinagar. A response is expected to be dispatched to the Raj Bhavan within days. The matter is being addressed with urgency. Very soon, there will be clarity,” ruling National Conference (NC) leader and MLA Tanvir Sadiq said.

Official sources said the proposed business rules sought a role for the Council of Ministers in the appointment and transfers of All India Services officers in J&K. Official sources said it also sought a role for the Cabinet in the appointment of the Advocate General for J&K.

According to the J&K Reorganisation Act 2019, the J&K Government was mandated to prepare a draft proposal of the business rules to be approved by the Raj Bhawan. The Act grants the Lieutenant-Governor powers to control the functioning of the J&K Police and all matters related to law and order.

In March this year, Mr. Abdullah forwarded the business rules proposal, which was drafted over the course of four months by a Cabinet subcommittee headed by Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary. The final approval by the Raj Bhawan will pave the way for the elected Government to make decisions related to governance with defined mandate.