President’s rule has been revoked in Jammu and Kashmir, according to an official order by the Ministry of Home Affairs on Sunday, thus paving the way for government formation in union territory.
Jammu and Kashmir will have an elected government for the first time in seven years (after BJP withdrew support from PDP in June 2017). In the recently-concluded Assembly Elections, the National Conference-Congress alliance secured a majority in the 90-seated Assembly. The NC touched the majority figure of 46 on its own after four independent MLAs decided to join the party.
Omar Abdullah is all set to form the government in the new week. He met Jammu and Kashmir LG Manoj Sinha on October 11 and handed over the letters of support to form the government. Omar was elected the leader of the National Conference legislature party on Thursday.
The MHA, through its gazette notification, revoked its earlier order of October 31, 2019, relating to the imposition of the President’s Rule in the region. The latest order dated October 13, 2024, revoked its 5-year-old order. With the execution of this order, the new government led by Omar Abdullah has officially got a nod to be sworn in in the upcoming week.
In an order, issued the President of India Droupadi Murmu, said, “In exercise of the powers conferred by section 73 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 (34 of 2019) read with articles 239 and 239A of the Constitution of India, the Order dated the 31st October, 2019 in relation to the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir shall stand revoked immediately before the appointment of the Chief Minister under section 54 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019.”
In 2018, then President Ram Nath Kovind imposed President’s rule in the state after it had completed six months under Governor’s rule. Kovind signed the proclamation for imposition of Central rule in the state, which plunged into a political crisis in June after the Mehbooba Mufti -led coalition government collapsed.
Central rule was imposed in Jammu and Kashmir on October 31, 2019, after the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019. Prior to October 31, 2019, the central rule was continuing in the erstwhile state from June 2017 after the resignation of the then chief minister Mehbooba Mufti when the BJP withdrew support to the PDP-led government. After 1996, it was the first time when the Central rule had been imposed in the militancy-hit state.