J&K Lt Governor’s Power To Nominate MLAs Sparks Row Ahead of Poll Results

It's a crucial day for Jammu and Kashmir. The NC-Congress alliance is strong in Kashmir, while the BJP dominates in Jammu. It will be decided today who will be crowned the winner. However, controversy has already arisen before the counting day. On October 8, a new chapter will begin with the counting of votes for the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections. These are the first assembly elections in the Union Territory after a gap of ten years and also the first since the abrogation of Article 370. With a record high voter turnout, every political party is anxious about the results.

As the final stage of vote counting approaches, a major controversy has emerged over the Lieutenant Governor's administration's proposal to nominate five members to the assembly before the swearing-in of the new government. These nominated members will have the right to vote, including in any vote of confidence, raising concerns among political leaders.

For the first time in the political history of Jammu and Kashmir, nominated members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) will play a key role in government formation after a decade-long gap. A recent amendment to the Jammu and Kashmir Representation of the People Act allows the nomination of five members – two representing Kashmiri displaced persons (one male and one female) and one from the Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) community – who will have full legislative powers equivalent to those of elected representatives.