Centre strengthens L-G in Jammu and Kashmir admin; opposition slams move
lieutenant governor (LG) after amending the transaction of business rules under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. In a late evening clarifications, officials said that the notification regarding transaction of business rules was not an amendment to the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, as some media reports suggested, but a simple amendment to the transaction rules issued to avoid any ambiguity.
The notification did not in any sense alter the balance of powers as enshrined in the law, which has been passed by Parliament and upheld by the Supreme Court, they said. The amendments came into force on July 12, the date of the publication in the Official Gazette — a move in anticipation of the speculated assembly election in J&K, Officials said the decision is in line with the other union territories.
As per section 32 of the Act, the legislative assembly may make laws with respect to any of the matters enumerated in the state list, except the «police» and «public order», or the concurrent list in the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India.
As per section 53 of the Act, the LG shall exercise his functions in his discretion in a matter which falls outside the purview of powers conferred on the legislative assembly, related to all-India services and Anti-Corruption Bureau and any other matter required under any law to act in its discretion.
The functions of the LG have been clearly defined and delineated in the Act and these reflect in the transaction of business rules, officials said,
