Will move HC: J&K Congress after SC refuses to accept plea to curb LG’s appointment powers

After the Supreme Court refused to entertain the petition challenging the authority of the lieutenant governor (LG) to appoint five members to the assembly, the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) decided to move the high court.

The Congress is part of the National Conference-led government to be formed in the former state.

J&K Congress senior vice-president and chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma, who was the petitioner, said, “The SC observed that the HC should hear the matter and granted us the liberty to do so.” “He didn’t rule out the matter,” he added.

Chief Minister-designate and National Conference (NC) vice-president Omar Abdullah has asked the LG not to nominate members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as it may contribute to friction between the elected government and the Centre. “There would be a fight because we would have to approach the SC. There would be tensions in our relations with the Center from day one, a relationship we want to build,” said the CM-designate.