J&K Bureaucrats Oppose Statehood Resolution In Rare Letter To Assembly Speaker

Just before the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly was set to discuss a resolution calling for the restoration of statehood, senior bureaucrats informed the Speaker that the matter was under consideration and should not be debated in the House. Chief Secretary Atal Duloo and Law Secretary Achal Sethi sent separate communications to the Assembly Secretariat expressing their concerns.

These letters were sent three days after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah introduced the resolution, which was then admitted for debate. Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather admitted he was unaware of any previous instance where bureaucrats had intervened in this manner. He questioned the decision to send the letters to the Assembly Secretariat without obtaining the relevant minister's approval, suggesting it may have been an attempt to interfere with the House's proceedings.

Omar Abdullah, who is also the Law Minister, stated he was unaware of the officials' communications until the Assembly Secretariat brought the matter to his attention. He argued that the episode underscored the implications of continuing without full statehood. Addressing the Assembly before the resolution was adopted, Abdullah expressed dissatisfaction with the bureaucracy's intrusion into a matter he had introduced.