NC and PDP hit out at Centre over J&K High Court affidavit

Srinagar: Former chief minister of J&K, Mehbooba Mufti, said on Monday that the government of India's affidavit stating that the lieutenant governor can nominate five MLAs to the assembly without the counsel of the government is a blatant subversion of democratic principles.

Mufti said nowhere else in the country does the central government handpick legislators to override the public mandate. Mufti spoke in response to GoI's affidavit submitted in the J&K High Court stating that Union Territory's LG can nominate five members to the J&K legislative assembly without the government's "aid and advice". In the affidavit, they said the L-G was not an extension of the government.

"GOI's decision to nominate five MLAs in J&K after holding elections is a blatant subversion of democratic principles. Nowhere else in the country does the Centre handpick legislators to override the public mandate," Mufti posted on X. She said this move feels less like governance and more like control.


The ruling National Conference MLA Tanvir Sadiq said J&K has an elected government with an absolute majority and bypassing it means ignoring the constitutional spirit of aid and advice. "It's contempt for the people's mandate," said Sadiq, adding, "It strikes at the heart of parliamentary democracy, ignores the constitutional spirit of 'aid and advice'. The NC legislator from Srinagar said this move sets a dangerous precedent where unelected appointees can rewrite the people's verdict.