With J&K Police under L-G’s command, political parties voice concern

J&K Police under Centre's command pledges safety, sparking concerns over elected Chief Minister's role in security apparatus.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police, which will continue to function directly under the command of the Centre and not an elected government, on Saturday (October 5, 2024) pledged to “maintain safety and security of the region”, even as the regional political parties expressed concern over the elected Chief Minister’s lesser role over the security apparatus.  

Ahead of the counting on October 8, Inspector-General of Police (IGP) V.K. Birdi on Saturday (October 5, 2024) chaired a crime and security review meeting of the Kashmir Zone in Srinagar and sought inputs from Deputy Inspector-Generals (DIGs), Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) and other senior officers. A police spokesman said Mr. Birdi was given an overall assessment of the security situation of the Kashmir Zone. It was followed by presentations of SSPs who highlighted their efforts in crime prevention and maintenance of law and order in their respective districts. 

Mr. Birdi underscored the need to improve conviction rates by way of establishing a robust follow-up system for securing convictions in narco- and terror-related cases. “The IGP reiterated the commitment of the J&K Police in maintaining safety and security in the region,” the spokesman said.

J&K will witness counting of votes on October 8 and government formation soon. However, political parties alleged that the J&K Reorganisation Act, which brought the J&K Police under the Centre “will weaken the elected Chief Minister”. Two leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra and Iltija Mufti, voiced their concern over laws that curtail the powers of the Chief Minister over the police.  

“With law and order under the Lt. Governor’s control and no return to pre-5th August powers, meeting voters’ expectations will be impossible. People have voted with high hopes, but in this setup, delivering on those promises will be a challenge for everyone involved,” PDP leader Parra posted on X.

He said there “are no real winners” in this election. “Even if one party secures all the seats, the process is powerless. As long as J&K stays a Union Territory, an elected government has little meaning,” Mr. Parra added.

Ms. Mufti said with the Lt. Governor “nominating” five MLAs and the Chief Secretary changing the “transaction of business rules” to shift more authority to the Lt. Governor, it’s clear that the “incoming government will be a toothless tiger”. “How much more will GoI possibly strip J&K of any semblance of authority & autonomy?” she asked on X.