J&K Assembly Convenes After 6 Years, LG Sinha Pledges Efforts to Restore Statehood

In a historic return to the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Monday—its first session in over six years—Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha promised to work toward the restoration of statehood. The assembly meeting sparked lively debate, including a resolution by People’s Democratic Party (PDP) legislator Waheed Para challenging the 2019 abrogation of Article 370, igniting passionate discussions among lawmakers.

In this session, senior National Conference (NC) leader Abdul Rahim Rather, a seven-time MLA from Charar-e-Sharief, was unanimously elected Speaker of the Assembly. NC leader Omar Abdullah, whose party recently won 42 seats in the 90-member assembly, praised Rather as a “natural choice” for Speaker, while BJP Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma assured cooperation from the opposition.

The recent election marks a new chapter in J&K’s politics, with the NC emerging as the largest party in the Union Territory’s assembly.