Owaisi Criticizes Centre's Move to Empower J&K Lieutenant Governor

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi criticized the Union Home Ministry's recent notification granting more powers to the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir. He believes that these amendments undermine the authority of an elected government, predicting that the BJP will struggle to win upcoming elections in the region.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has criticized the Union Home Ministry's recent notification that grants additional powers to the Lieutenant Governor (LG) of Jammu and Kashmir. He claimed that these amendments, issued by the Centre on Friday, undermine the authority traditionally held by an elected government under the J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019.

In a social media post, the Hyderabad Lok Sabha MP argued that the alterations were made in anticipation that the BJP would not be able to form a government in J&K if elections were held. 'In anticipation that after elections (if they are held) the BJP will not be able to form a government, almost all powers have been "gifted" to the LG,' Owaisi stated.

The notification allows the LG to take decisions on police matters, appointments of officers of all-India services such as IAS and IPS, and sanctions for prosecution in various cases. It also grants the LG authority over appointments of the advocate general and other law officers, alongside matters linked to the anti-corruption bureau.