Jammu and Kashmir Assembly reconvenes after six-year break; Speaker's election on first-day agenda

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The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly will convene today, marking its first session after a six-year hiatus. According to ANI, the primary item on the agenda will be the election of the Speaker, a significant procedural move to set the stage for the Assembly's operations.

Following the election, Jammu and Kashmir's Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, is scheduled to address the Assembly, delivering a formal speech to the members. This session is expected to set a new course for the legislative body since the reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir, as per ANI.

The National Conference (NC), one of the major political parties in the region, held a preparatory meeting with its legislature party and allied members, including Congress MLAs, on Sunday evening in Srinagar. According to ANI, the meeting served as an introductory session among party members and allies. Jammu and Kashmir Congress President, Tariq Hamid Karra, commented on the gathering, stating, "This was an introductory meeting. We had a brief discussion. In tomorrow's Assembly Session, the Speaker will be elected, followed by the LG's address. We will see what unfolds."

The National Conference has proposed senior leader and MLA Abdul Rahim Rather for the position of Speaker, according to ANI reports. Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which holds 28 seats in the Assembly, has suggested MLA Narender Singh for the role of Deputy Speaker.

The session, scheduled to run until 8 November, includes several formalities and discussions beyond the Speaker's election. As per ANI, the Lieutenant Governor's address will be followed by obituary references on 5 November, honouring former legislators who have passed away since the last sitting of the former Jammu and Kashmir Assembly. A Motion of Thanks on the Lieutenant Governor's address will be open for discussion on 6 and 7 November, ANI reports.

The Assembly session follows an extended period without a state-level legislative body, a hiatus that has lasted since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, which redefined Jammu and Kashmir's constitutional status and restructured its governance model. According to ANI, the last Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir were held after a decade, and the Congress-National Conference alliance won 49 out of 90 seats, while the BJP secured 29 seats.

On 16 September, NC leader Omar Abdullah took the oath as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, a critical step as the region resumes its political and legislative processes, as per ANI.

(With inputs from ANI)