Jammu, Sep 23: Jammu and Kashmir cabinet Tuesday, recommended convening of a week-long autumn session of the Union Territory legislature from October 13. The recommendation will, now, be sent to the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.
LG Sinha will then issue an order summoning the session of Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, in exercise of the powers conferred upon him under section 18(1) of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019, on October 13, 2025 in Srinagar, as advised by the Council of Ministers. The Assembly Speaker will list the final calendar of business and sittings.
Chaired by the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, the cabinet, which met at 10 am at the Civil Secretariat, Srinagar on Tuesday, also took a significant call to fulfill a poll promise related to Darbar Move.
In yet another critical move, it (cabinet) decided to write to the Lieutenant Governor to approve the business rules, sent months back by the elected government yet still awaiting his (LG’s) clearance.
“Among major decisions taken during the cabinet meeting was the call to restore full-fledged Darbar Move from this season (November, 2025). Full-fledged Darbar will move to Jammu this year as per earlier practice. Recommendation for convening of a week-long Assembly session from October 13 with five or six sittings,” sources privy to the deliberations in the cabinet meeting told Greater Kashmir.
“Besides the cabinet has also taken a call to write to the Lieutenant Governor questioning the delay in the approval of the business rules (draft) sent to him by the government months back. Besides the issues related to promotion of officers and an initiative related to the construction of flats for the people Below Poverty Line was also given a go ahead,” sources pointed out.
With regard to Darbar Move, the cabinet, as per sources, reiterated that the restoration of Darbar Move was imperative to safeguard the interests of traders in Jammu and boost Jammu’s economy besides maintaining a practice aimed at strengthening communal amity and ties between two regions.
The cabinet also deliberated and reiterated its stance on the statehood issue. Besides the constitutional requirements of convening a session within six months of the previous session, the opposition was also demanding immediate convening of session to discuss some pressing issues, mainly devastation caused by recent rain induced floods, landslides, leading to critical issues including those pertaining to connectivity; AAP MLA Mehraj Malik’s detention under Public Safety Act (PSA) and statehood restoration.
Maiden budget session of J&K UT Legislature was convened from March 3 to April 9, 2025 in Jammu. Later, a special day-long session was also convened in Jammu on April 28, 2025 to pass a resolution condemning the Pahalgam terror attack of April 22, 2025.
WHAT IS BUSINESS RULES CONTROVERSY?
The file related to the draft proposal of Transaction of Business Rules prepared by the Cabinet Sub-Committee was sent to the LG office in March this year. The office of Lieutenant Governor sent back the file back to the elected government led by the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah with certain queries in May beginning.
The queries sent by the LG office, reportedly, delineated the essence that the draft proposal (of Business Rules sent by elected government) was in contradiction with the J&K Reorganisation Act. Proposal presumably was seeking to bring all postings and transfers, including those of IAS officers, under the purview of J&K cabinet besides calling for wider power for it (cabinet) vis-à-vis few other areas of interests including advocate General’s appointment. The cabinet, presumably after a couple of days, in June had forwarded the same proposal to the LG office with the reply that the “necessary procedures were followed while framing rules.” Since then, there was no headway on that account.
Notably, majority of powers and functions are defined in J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019. The powers of the Lieutenant Governor were clearly defined in MHA notification in July, 2024.
At present, confusion does persist about the powers of the Chief Minister, cabinet, Ministers and Administrative Secretaries. Ambiguity erupts where there is overlapping of powers of elected government and bureaucratic set-up, related to transfers, recruitment rules, creation of posts and green-light to various projects.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who is also MLA Ganderbal, has approved a total of Rs 377.10 lakh under the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) to support various development initiatives viz., civic infrastructure, healthcare, education and community services, across his constituency (Ganderbal). A major portion of the fund Rs 67 lakh, has been allocated for the procurement of a high-end ultrasound system at the District Hospital Ganderbal.
Later, a government spokesperson said Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today (September 23, 2025) chaired a cabinet meeting at the Civil Secretariat, Srinagar, where several important decisions pertaining to governance and development were taken. The meeting was attended by the Council of Ministers, including Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary, Ministers Sakina Itoo, Javed Ahmed Rana, Javid Ahmed Dar, and Satish Sharma. Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo was also present. During the session, the Cabinet, spokesperson said, took up a series of agenda items concerning public welfare, administrative efficiency and developmental priorities across Jammu and Kashmir.
