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Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly

Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly
13th Jammu and Kashmir Assembly
Coat of arms or logo
Type
Type
Term limits
5 years
History
Founded1957 by Monarchy Commission, Presidential Commission.
Preceded byJammu and Kashmir Constituent Assembly
Leadership
Manoj Sinha
since 7 August 2020
Speaker
Abdul Rahim Rather, JKNC
since 4 November 2024
Leader of the House
(Chief Minister)
Omar Abdullah, JKNC
since 16 October 2024
Deputy Leader of the House
(Deputy Chief Minister)
Surinder Kumar Choudhary, JKNC
since 16 October 2024
Sunil Kumar Sharma, BJP
since 3 November 2024
Structure
Seats119 (90 seats + 24 seats reserved for Pakistan administered Jammu and Kashmir) + 5 Nominated by LG
Political groups
Government (55)
  INDIA (55)

Opposition (33)

Nominated (5)

  NOM (5)

Vacant (2)

  Vacant (2)
Elections
First past the post
Last election
18 September 2024 to 1 October 2024
Next election
September/October 2029
Meeting place
Legislative Assembly, Srinagar (Summer session)
Legislative Assembly, Jammu (Winter session)
Website
jkla.neva.gov.in

The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, also known as the Jammu and Kashmir Vidhan Sabha, is the legislature of Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

Prior to 2019, the State of Jammu and Kashmir had a bicameral legislature with a legislative assembly (lower house) and a legislative council (upper house). The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, passed by the Parliament of India in August 2019, replaced this with a unicameral legislature while also re-organising the state into a union territory. The 12th assembly was dissolved by the Governor on 21 November 2018.[5] The 13th assembly was elected in September and October 2024.

History

Praja Sabha

The first legislature of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, called the Praja Sabha, was established by the government of the Maharaja Hari Singh in 1934.[6] It had 33 elected seats, 30 nominated members and 12 ex-officio members.[7]

The first election in 1934 saw the Liberal Group headed by Pandit Ram Chander Dubey emerge as the largest party and the Muslim Conference as the second largest (with 14 seats).[8] Further elections were held in 1938 and 1947.

In 1939, the Muslim Conference party renamed itself to National Conference under the leadership of Sheikh Abdullah and opened its membership to people of all religions. It launched a Quit Kashmir movement in 1946 and boycotted the 1947 election.[9]

Post-accession

After the accession of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir to the Union of India in 1947, the Maharaja ceded powers to a popular government headed by Sheikh Abdullah. Elections for a constituent assembly were held in 1951, in which Abdullah's National Conference won all 75 seats.

In 1957, a new constitution was adopted by the constituent assembly, which established a bicameral legislature consisting of an upper house, the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Council and a lower house, the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly.[10] Wali Mohammad Itoo of the National Conference was speaker of the assembly between 7 July 1983 and 31 July 1984.[11]

Revocation of Article 370 and reorganisation of state

In 2019, Article 370 of the Constitution of India, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, was abrogated[12] and Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act was passed to reconstitute the state of Jammu and Kashmir into union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh with effect from 31 October 2019.[13] The union territory of Jammu and Kashmir has a unicameral Legislative Assembly. The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Council was formally abolished on 31 October 2019.[14][15]

In March 2020, a three-member Delimitation Commission was formed, chaired by retired Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, for the delimitation of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.[16] The commission published its interim report in February 2022.[17] The final delimitation report was released on 5 May 2022[18] and it came into force from 20 May 2022.[19]

Composition

The Legislative Assembly was initially composed of 100 members, later increased to 111 by the then Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir (Twentieth Amendment) Act of 1988.[10] Of these, 24 seats were designated for the territorial constituencies of the state that came under Pakistani control in 1947.[10] These seats remained officially vacant as per section 48 of the then state constitution and now also in The Constitution of India.[10] These seats were not taken into account for reckoning the total membership of the assembly, especially for deciding quorum and voting majorities for legislation and government formation.[10] Hence the total contestable and filled seats of the assembly were 87 seats. The Kashmir valley region had 46 seats, the Jammu region had 37 seats, and Ladakh region had 4 seats.

State reorganisation and Delimitation

Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act was passed to reconstitute the state of Jammu and Kashmir into union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.[13] In March 2020, Delimitation Commission was formed for the delimitation of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir prior to the next Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly election.[16] The delimitation report added additional 6 seats to the Jammu division and 1 seat to Kashmir division. After delimitation, the total seats in the assembly rose to 114 seats, out of which 24 seats are designated for areas that fall under Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Out of the remaining 90 seats, 43 seats are in Jammu division and 47 seats are in the Kashmir division. With this, hindu majority Jammu with a population of 53 lakh (43% of the total population of 1.22 crore) will have 47% seats, while muslim majority Kashmir which has a population of 68 lakh (56%) will have 52% of the seats.[18]

Reservation for SC/STs

The parliament passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill 2023 which provides for reservation of 7 seats for the Scheduled Castes and 9 seats for the Scheduled Tribes.[20][21]

Provisions for Nominated Members

Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 provides for nomination of 2 members to the Legislative Assembly by the Lieutenant Governor if women are not adequately represented in the house.[22] Following amendment to the Act in 2023, the Lieutenant Governor may also nominate two representatives of Kashmiri migrant families (one seat reserved for woman) and one member to represent the migrants from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (POK).[23]

Tenure and functions

Members of the Legislative Assembly were elected for a six-year term up to 2019 and five-year term thereafter. The seats are filled by direct election from single member constituencies using the first past the post method. The assembly may be dissolved before the completion of the full term by the Lieutenant Governor upon the advice of the Chief Minister. The Lieutenant Governor may also convene special sessions of the legislative assembly.

Membership by party

The membership of the 13th Jammu and Kashmir Assembly by party is as follows:

Party MLAs Leader
JKNC 41[24] Omar Abdullah
BJP 28 Sunil Kumar Sharma
INC 6 Ghulam Ahmad Mir
JKPDP 3 Waheed Para
JKPC 1 Sajjad Gani Lone
CPI(M) 1 Mohammed Yousuf Tarigami
AAP 1 Mehraj Malik
Independent 7
Nominated 5
Vacant 2
Total 95

Members

Office bearers

Source:[25]

Office Holder Since
Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather 4 November 2024
Leader of the House
(Chief Minister)
Omar Abdullah[26] 16 October 2024
Deputy Leader of the House
(Deputy Chief Minister)
Surinder Kumar Choudhary 16 October 2024
Leader of the Opposition Sunil Kumar Sharma 3 November 2024
Secretary Manoj Kumar Pandit[27] 31 October 2022

Members of Legislative Assembly (MLA)

The membership of the assembly is as follows:[28]

District Constituency Name Party Alliance Remarks
No. Name
Kupwara 1 Karnah Javaid Ahmad Mirchal JKNC INDIA
2 Trehgam Saifullah Mir JKNC INDIA
3 Kupwara Mir Mohammad Fayaz JKPDP None
4 Lolab Qaysar Jamshaid Lone JKNC INDIA
5 Handwara Sajad Gani Lone JKPC None
6 Langate Khursheed Ahmed Sheikh IND None
Baramulla 7 Sopore Irshad Rasool Kar JKNC INDIA
8 Rafiabad Javid Ahmad Dar JKNC INDIA Cabinet Minister
9 Uri Sajjad Safi JKNC INDIA
10 Baramulla Javid Hassan Baig JKNC INDIA
11 Gulmarg Pirzada Farooq Ahmed Shah JKNC INDIA
12 Wagoora–Kreeri Irfan Hafiz Lone INC INDIA
13 Pattan Javaid Riyaz JKNC INDIA
Bandipora 14 Sonawari Hilal Akbar Lone JKNC INDIA
15 Bandipora Nizam Uddin Bhat INC INDIA
16 Gurez (ST) Nazir Ahmed Khan JKNC INDIA
Ganderbal 17 Kangan (ST) Mian Mehar Ali JKNC INDIA
18 Ganderbal Omar Abdullah JKNC INDIA Chief Minister
Srinagar 19 Hazratbal Salman Sagar JKNC INDIA
20 Khanyar Ali Mohammad Sagar JKNC INDIA
21 Habba Kadal Shamim Firdous JKNC INDIA
22 Lal Chowk Sheikh Ahsan Ahmed JKNC INDIA
23 Chanapora Mushtaq Guroo JKNC INDIA
24 Zadibal Tanvir Sadiq JKNC INDIA
25 Eidgah Mubarik Gul JKNC INDIA
26 Central Shalteng Tariq Hameed Karra INC INDIA
Budgam 27 Budgam Omar Abdullah JKNC INDIA Resigned on 21 October 2024[29]
Vacant
28 Beerwah Shafi Ahmad Wani JKNC INDIA
29 Khan Sahib Saif Ud Din Bhat JKNC INDIA
30 Charari Sharief Abdul Rahim Rather JKNC INDIA Speaker
31 Chadoora Ali Mohammad Dar JKNC INDIA
Pulwama 32 Pampore Hasnain Masoodi JKNC INDIA
33 Tral Rafiq Ahmad Naik JKPDP None
34 Pulwama Waheed Ur Rehman Para JKPDP None
35 Rajpora Ghulam Mohit Uddin Mir JKNC INDIA
Shopian 36 Zainapora Showkat Hussain JKNC INDIA
37 Shopian Shabir Ahmad Kullay IND INDIA
Kulgam 38 DH Pora Sakina Itoo JKNC INDIA Cabinet Minister
39 Kulgam Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami CPI(M) INDIA
40 Devsar Peerzada Feroze Ahamad JKNC INDIA
Anantnag 41 Dooru Gulam Ahmad Mir INC INDIA
42 Kokernag (ST) Zafar Ali Khatana JKNC INDIA
43 Anantnag West Abdul Majeed Bhat JKNC INDIA
44 Anantnag Peerzada Mohammad Syed INC INDIA
45 Srigufwara–Bijbehara Bashir Ahmed Shah Veeri JKNC INDIA
46 Shangus–Anantnag East Reyaz Ahmad Khan JKNC INDIA
47 Pahalgam Altaf Ahmad Wani JKNC INDIA
Kishtawar 48 Inderwal Payare Lal Sharma IND INDIA Supports JKNC[30]
49 Kishtwar Shagun Parihar BJP NDA
50 Padder–Nagseni Sunil Kumar Sharma BJP NDA Leader of Opposition
Doda 51 Bhadarwah Daleep Singh BJP NDA
52 Doda Mehraj Malik AAP INDIA
53 Doda West Shakti Raj BJP NDA
Ramban 54 Ramban Arjun Singh Raju JKNC INDIA
55 Banihal Sajad Shaheen JKNC INDIA
Reasi 56 Gulabgarh (ST) Khurshied Ahmed JKNC INDIA
57 Reasi Kuldeep Raj Dubey BJP NDA
58 Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Baldev Raj Sharma BJP NDA
Udhampur 59 Udhampur West Pawan Kumar Gupta BJP NDA
60 Udhampur East Ranbir Singh Pathania BJP NDA
61 Chenani Balwant Singh Mankotia BJP NDA
62 Ramnagar (SC) Sunil Bhardwaj BJP NDA
Kathua 63 Bani Rameshwar Singh IND INDIA Supports JKNC[30]
64 Billawar Satish Kumar Sharma BJP NDA
65 Basohli Darshan Kumar BJP NDA
66 Jasrota Rajiv Jasrotia BJP NDA
67 Kathua (SC) Bharat Bhushan BJP NDA
68 Hiranagar Vijay Kumar BJP NDA
Samba 69 Ramgarh (SC) Devinder Kumar Manyal BJP NDA
70 Samba Surjeet Singh Slathia BJP NDA
71 Vijaypur Chander Prakash Ganga BJP NDA
Jammu 72 Bishnah (SC) Rajeev Kumar BJP NDA
73 Suchetgarh (SC) Gharu Ram Bhagat BJP NDA
74 RS Pora–Jammu South Narinder Singh Raina BJP NDA
75 Bahu Vikram Randhawa BJP NDA
76 Jammu East Yudhvir Sethi BJP NDA
77 Nagrota Devender Singh Rana BJP NDA Died on 31 October 2024[31]
Vacant
78 Jammu West Arvind Gupta BJP NDA
79 Jammu North Sham Lal Sharma BJP NDA
80 Marh (SC) Surinder Kumar BJP NDA
81 Akhnoor (SC) Mohan Lal BJP NDA
82 Chhamb Satish Sharma IND INDIA Cabinet Minister
Rajouri 83 Kalakote–Sunderbani Randhir Singh BJP NDA
84 Nowshera Surinder Choudhary JKNC INDIA Deputy Chief Minister
85 Rajouri (ST) Iftkar Ahmed INC INDIA
86 Budhal (ST) Javaid Iqbal JKNC INDIA
87 Thanamandi (ST) Muzaffar Iqbal Khan IND INDIA Supports JKNC[32]
Poonch 88 Surankote (ST) Choudhary Mohammed Akram IND INDIA Supports JKNC[30]
89 Poonch Haveli Ajaz Ahmed Jan JKNC INDIA
90 Mendhar (ST) Javed Ahmed Rana JKNC INDIA Cabinet Minister
Nominated 91 Nominated by
Lieutenant Governor
on advice of
Central Government
NOM
92
93
94
95

See also

References

  1. ^ "Peoples' mandate will be fulfilled soon: Tarigami after President's rule over J&K ended". Greater Kashmir. 14 October 2024. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  2. ^ "J&K assembly elections: AAP extends support to JKNC". The Times of India. 11 October 2024. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  3. ^ Singh, Rimjhim (11 October 2024). "J&K polls: Four Independent MLAs help NC cross majority mark". Business Standard. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  4. ^ Agencies (11 October 2024). "NC-Cong alliance stakes claim to form govt in J&K: Omar". thefederal.com. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  5. ^ "Amid contrasting claims, J&K Governor dissolves Assembly". The Hindu. 21 November 2018. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  6. ^ "Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly". National Informatics Centre. Retrieved 29 August 2010.[permanent dead link]
  7. ^ Rai, Mridu (2004), Hindu Rulers, Muslim Subjects: Islam, Rights, and the History of Kashmir, C. Hurst & Co, p. 274, ISBN 1850656614
  8. ^ Copland, Ian (1981), "Islam and Political Mobilization in Kashmir, 1931-34", Pacific Affairs, 54 (2): 228–259, doi:10.2307/2757363, JSTOR 2757363
  9. ^ Choudhary, Dipti (19 January 2024), "The Constitutional Development in the State of Jammu and Kashmir" (PDF), State autonomy under indian constitution a study with reference to the state of jammu and kashmir, Kurukhsetra University/Shodhganga, pp. 60, 69, hdl:10603/32675
  10. ^ a b c d e "Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir" (PDF).
  11. ^ Malhotra, G. C. (2004). Cabinet Responsibility to Legislature: Motions of Confidence and No-confidence in Lok Sabha and State Legislatures. New Delhi: Lok Sabha Secretariat. pp. 430–431. ISBN 978-8-1200-0400-9.
  12. ^ "President declares abrogation of provisions of Article 370". The Hindu. PTI. 7 August 2019. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  13. ^ a b "President Kovind gives assent to J&K Reorganisation Bill, two new UTs to come into effect from Oct 31". The Indian Express. 9 August 2019. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  14. ^ "J&K administration orders abolition of legislative council, asks its staff to report to GAD". Financial express. PTI. 17 October 2019. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
  15. ^ "Abolition of Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Council in terms of Section 57 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019" (pdf). jkgad.nic.in. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
  16. ^ a b "Delimitation of Constituencies in Jammu-Kashmir, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Nagaland - Notification dated 06.03.2020 - Delimitation - Election Commission of India". eci.gov.in. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
  17. ^ "Many seats redrawn in J&K delimitation draft". The Hindu. 5 February 2022. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  18. ^ a b "The Jammu and Kashmir Delimitation report". The Hindu. 9 May 2022. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  19. ^ "Orders of J&K Delimitation Commission take effect". Hindustan Times. 21 May 2022. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  20. ^ "Parliament passes J-K Reservation, J-K Reorganisation (Amendment) Bills". The Economic Times. 12 December 2023. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  21. ^ "Rajya Sabha passes J&K Bills on reservation, Assembly representation". Moneycontrol. 11 December 2023. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  22. ^ "What is the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2019?". Jagranjosh.com. 14 March 2020. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  23. ^ "Parliament passes J-K reservation and reorganisation amendment bills: Know all about them". www.indiatvnews.com. 11 December 2023. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  24. ^ "Omar Thanks NC MLAs for Electing Him Leader of Legislature Party". 10 October 2024.
  25. ^ "Home | Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly". jkla.neva.gov.in. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
  26. ^ https://www.oneindia.com/india/nc-legislators-thumbs-up-omar-abdullah-for-j-k-chief-minister-011-3958009.html
  27. ^ https://jkla.neva.gov.in/Member/SecDetails/3
  28. ^ "Status Known For 90 out of 90 Constituencies". Election Commission of India. October 2024.
  29. ^ "Omar Abdullah Steps Down From Budgam Seat, Retains Ganderbal In Assembly". NDTV. 21 October 2024. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
  30. ^ a b c "Omar Abdullah's NC touches majority mark without Congress after 4 J-K independent MLAs extend support". India TV. 10 October 2024. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
  31. ^ "J&K BJP MLA Devender Singh Rana passes away". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
  32. ^ Agencies (11 October 2024). "NC-Cong alliance stakes claim to form govt in J&K: Omar". thefederal.com. Retrieved 13 October 2024.