Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has approved a resolution passed by the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah-led cabinet that calls on the central government to restore statehood to the Union Territory, officials confirmed on Saturday. The resolution, which was unanimously passed in a cabinet meeting chaired by Omar Abdullah on Thursday, seeks the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood in its original form, according to an official spokesperson.
Although no additional details were provided, officials confirmed that LG Sinha has given his nod to the cabinet's resolution. The spokesperson emphasized that restoring statehood would mark the beginning of a healing process for the region, helping to reclaim the constitutional rights of its people and protect the unique identity of Jammu and Kashmir.
The cabinet has granted the chief minister the authority to raise the issue directly with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the central government. The spokesperson reiterated that safeguarding the identity and constitutional rights of the people remains the core policy of the newly elected government.
Omar Abdullah is expected to travel to New Delhi in the coming days to discuss the resolution with the Prime Minister and other Union Ministers. The cabinet also decided to summon the Legislative Assembly in Srinagar on November 4 and recommended that the Lieutenant Governor address the assembly during its first session. A draft of the LG's address was presented to the Council of Ministers, who decided that further discussions were needed before finalizing it.
While many welcomed the move, some political parties, including the People's Democratic Party (PDP), People's Conference (PC), and Awami Ittehad Party (AIP), criticized the resolution for focusing solely on statehood and not addressing the restoration of Article 370. They called it an “utter surrender” and a deviation from the National Conference's earlier commitment to restore both statehood and the special status granted under Articles 370 and 35A, which were revoked on August 5, 2019.