ibn sultan
Srinagar, June 25: In a significant political development, reports indicate that the long-awaited Statehood Bill for Jammu and Kashmir is likely to be introduced in the upcoming session of Parliament
If passed, it could lead to the dissolution of the present Union Territory Assembly and the conduct of fresh elections, potentially scheduled for mid-December or January.
While there is no official clarity yet on whether the statehood being proposed is full or truncated in nature, the political discourse is gaining momentum.
Reacting to these reports, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said he is ready to recommend dissolution of the existing Legislative Assembly if statehood is restored.
“I have read in a newspaper that statehood will be restored but assembly elections would have to be held afresh. Let them do it, who has stopped them,” Abdullah remarked while addressing the media at the scenic Gulmarg.
Sworn in as the first Chief Minister of the UT of Jammu and Kashmir in October last year, the JKNC Vice President reiterated that statehood is a democratic right of the people of J&K and must be restored without delay.
The upcoming Parliament session now holds vital importance, as the people of Jammu and Kashmir wait anxiously to see whether promises of restoration will finally translate into reality.
