Speaker to announce names of panel of chairmen, LA to pay tributes to Ex-PM, others
Jammu: The month-long budget session of Jammu and Kashmir will begin on Monday with the ceremonial address of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha in the Assembly Complex here at the Civil Secretariat.
“The Lieutenant Governor will address the Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir in the Legislative Assembly Complex, Jammu on Monday, the 3rd day of March, 2025 at 10.00 AM. The Legislative Assembly will meet for transaction of formal business half-an-hour after the conclusion of the Address by the Lieutenant Governor,” reads the bulletin issued by secretary Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly.
The bulletin further reads that the Members are requested to take their seats in the House in the same order as approved by the Speaker in terms of Rule 4 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly.
As per the list of Business the Speaker will report and lay on the Table a copy of
the Lieutenant Governor’s Address to be delivered to the members of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly.
The Speaker will announce the names of the Panel of Chairmen. The Assembly will also pay tributes to Dr. Manmohan Singh, ex-Prime Minister of India; Syed Ghulam Hussain Geelani, ex-Minister; Shamsher Singh Manhas, ex-MP; Ghulam Hassan Parrey, ex-MLA; and
Choudhary Paira Singh, ex-MLA.
Moreover, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who also holds the finance portfolio, is expected to present the budget for the fiscal year 2025-26 on March 7.
This will be the first budget of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah led National Conference government after assuming power in October last year.
“All arrangements are in place ahead of the commencement of the budget session from March 3,” said an official.
He said that the Assembly Complex is set to welcome the legislators after a gap of around seven years.
The last budget session took place during the PDP-BJP government in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir in 2018.
The assembly has received 1,300 questions for this session from 88 MLAs. Although the house has 90 seats, two are currently vacant—one due to the passing of a BJP MLA from Nagrota, and the other after Omar Abdullah resigned from the Budgam seat, having won from both Budgam and Ganderbal.
The session is expected to see intense debates on key issues, including Article 370, pre-election commitments, and the proposed alcohol ban.
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the People’s Conference (PC) have introduced resolutions and bills related to Article 370, seeking to restore Jammu & Kashmir’s special status, a move strongly opposed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The BJP is also preparing to challenge the ruling National Conference (NC) over its election promises, such as free electricity and ration. Additionally, the PDP and PC’s push for an alcohol ban is likely to further fuel heated discussions.
J&K People’s Conference chairman and MLA Sajad Gani Lone and PDP’s Waheed Para are expected to raise issues against the NC’s governance in the UT. They are also expected to raise the issue of the dual power centres—the LG and the elected government, which has created confusion and a lack of accountability in this sensitive border state.
It remains to be seen whether the NC government tables the CAG reports of the past seven years of Central rule in J&K in the Assembly.
Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather has urged MLAs to maintain decorum and avoid unparliamentary language during the session. Several bills related to Article 370, human rights and the seizure of properties belonging to individuals accused of separatist activities are expected to provoke strong reactions from the BJP.
Meanwhile, the National Conference and the Congress Party also convened Legislature Party meetings here to hold deliberations with party legislators.
Issues of people’s welfare, development, the bill on liquor ban, and statehood are expected to remain key highlights during the session.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who holds the Finance portfolio, will present his first budget on March 7.
Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather on February 27 chaired an all-party meeting of the legislators and sought their cooperation during the budget session.
The erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir was bifurcated into two Union Territories after abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019.
