In the ongoing friction between Chief Minister Omar Abdullah led government in J&K and LG Manoj Sinha, the former has once again raised the issue of authority over various areas, questioning delay in restoring key institutions to the elected government in the UT.
Even as Omar Abdullah has been critical over what the alliance partners often call as 'dual control' or dual power centres impacting efficiency and outcome, this time he has raised the issue of UT functioning without Advocate General. The government has claimed that the file for the appointment of a new Advocate General (AG) is pending with the Lieutenant Governor’s office.
However, bureaucratic sources have contradicted this, saying that no proposal or recommendation has been formally sent for consideration. According to officials, no recommendation from the elected government is currently pending with the LG.Following the resignation of D.C. Raina, the suggested name of a senior advocate has reportedly not been forwarded to the LG’s office.
Under the J&K Reorganization Act 2019, the Lieutenant Governor remains the competent authority for approving the appointment of the Advocate General. Sources highlight procedural lapses and administrative delays in processing key government appointments in Jammu and Kashmir.
However, notwithstanding confusion over this issue, almost every next day the NC-Congress alliance leaders strongly criticized the BJP-led government at the Centre for dual control in governance in Jammu and Kashmir, saying it runs contrary to the very spirit of democracy and has eroded public faith in institutions.They argue that ruling dispensation at the Centre has consistently degraded the level of political discourse, preferring to pursue divisive narratives to satiate its agenda rather than addressing the genuine aspirations of the people of J&K.
“Democracy thrives when elected representatives have the authority to govern and deliver. What we are witnessing today is the opposite—power concentrated in the hands of those not directly accountable to the people,” said a senior NC leader on government's hands remain tight until full control or authority of functionality is given to it. Their contention revolves around restoration of statehood to J&K, on which the alliance government asserts that Centre had, both in Parliament and before the Supreme Court, made solemn assurances regarding the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.