AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has alleged that the MHA has amended the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act of 2019 giving more powers to the Lieutenant Governor (LG) since the BJP is aware it will not be able to form the government if elections were held.

Owaisi claimed that the NDA government wanted the state government to be lame duck one without any say in the postings of bureaucrats or in matters of security.

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Taking to social media platform ‘X’ Owaisi pointed out “These are not normal amendments. They encroach upon the subjects vested with an elected government under J&K Reorganisation Act. JKAS officers can be posted as administrative secretaries only by LG. LG will be the Super CM (Sixth finger). He then further went on to say that the BJP was apprehensive that it will not be able to win Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir and hence brought in the amendments to reduce the power and authority of the state government.

“In anticipation that after elections (if they are held) BJP will not be able to form the government almost all powers have been “gifted” to LG. The elected government will be lame duck and will have no say in postings, security etc. It will be much like Puducherry.”

The MHA has amended the Transaction of Business Rules giving the LG more say in matters related to police, public order, All India Service (AIS). Proposals regarding appointment of advocate-general, law officers or grant or refusal of prosecution sanction or filing appeals will now require the nod of LG. On Friday MHA had notified the amended rules of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act.

Jammu and Kashmir has been under Central rule since June 2018 and in 2019 it was made an Union Territory after the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution. The Assembly elections will have to be held before 30 September this year, following a directive of the Supreme Court.