Historic J&K Assembly Oath: Mubarak Gul Appointed Pro-Tem Speaker

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha appoints Mubarak Gul as the pro-tem speaker of J&K Legislative Assembly. The appointment precedes the swearing-in of members of the assembly following a historic election, marking the first since the abrogation of Article 370. Omar Abdullah leads as the new Union Territory's Chief Minister.

In a significant political development, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has appointed Mubarak Gul, a veteran leader of the National Conference, as the pro-tem speaker of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly. Gul, representing the Eidgah constituency, secured his appointment through a letter dated October 18, 2024, invoking Section 24 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019.

According to the assembly secretariat bulletin, all members of the legislative assembly are expected to attend the oath-taking ceremony in Srinagar at 2:00 p.m. on October 21, 2024. The assembly's reconstitution comes after a decade-long gap, with the NC-Congress alliance emerging victorious in the polls, winning 42 and 6 seats, respectively.

The elections, the first after the repeal of Article 370, saw Omar Abdullah assume the role of Chief Minister, a position he held previously from 2009 to 2014. The BJP secured 29 seats, followed by the People's Democratic Party with three. The three-phased election culminated in results declared on October 8.

(With inputs from agencies.)