President’s rule removed from Jammu and Kashmir, paving the way for government formation

President’s rule was lifted from Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, paving the way for the formation of a new government in the Union Territory. The Union Home Ministry issued a gazette notification in this regard.

The notification signed by President Draupadi Murmu said, “In exercise of the powers conferred by section 73 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019 (34 of 2019), read with Articles 239 and 239A of the Constitution of India, Jammu and Kashmir “The order dated October 31, 2019, in respect of the Union Territory, immediately before the appointment of the Chief Minister, is repealed under Section 54 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019.”

The National Conference-Congress alliance won the recently concluded Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections. National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah will be the next Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir. He has been elected the leader of the alliance.

President’s rule was imposed in Jammu and Kashmir on October 31, 2019, after the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir was bifurcated into two union territories — Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019 was passed by the Parliament on August 5, 2019. Article 370 of the Constitution, which gave special status to the erstwhile state, was also repealed on the same day.

Before October 31, 2019, President’s rule was continuing in the then state since June 2017 after the resignation of the then Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti. At that time the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had withdrawn support from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) led government.