Assembly takes up JJM report, Cooperative Bill
Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Monday took up the House Committee report on alleged irregularities in the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) and a Bill seeking amendments to the Jammu and Kashmir Cooperative Societies Act, 1989, amid noisy scenes as BJP legislators protested over power tariff, National Health Mission (NHM) employees and daily-wage workers.
Carrying placards and raising slogans, BJP MLAs demanded withdrawal of the increased power tariff, justice for NHM employees and regularisation of daily wagers. They also opposed outsourcing of government jobs and sought the Government’s intervention on issues concerning employees and electricity consumers.
National Conference legislators raised counter-slogans, leading to noisy scenes inside the House. Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather intervened and directed that the protest-related matter should neither form part of the official proceedings nor be reported.
The House proceeded with the listed business after paying obituary references to former Ministers Dr Sheikh Mustafa Kamal, Dharam Paul and Ghulam Hassan Khan.
During the obituary references, Rather recalled the contributions of the three former Ministers to the social, economic and developmental activities of Jammu and Kashmir. The House observed a two-minute silence in their memory.
No individual speeches were made during the obituary references, marking a departure from the traditional practice of adjourning the House after such references on the first day of a session.
The change followed a proposal made by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah during an earlier session to adopt a procedure under which the Speaker would read the obituary references, followed by a brief silence, instead of members making individual speeches.
After the obituary references, Chairman of the House Committee, Justice (Retd) Hasnain Masoodi, laid on the Table the committee’s report on alleged irregularities in the implementation of the JJM in Jammu and Kashmir. The committee was constituted in April 2025 to examine the allegations.
Minister for Cooperatives Javid Ahmad Dar subsequently introduced a Bill seeking amendments to the Jammu and Kashmir Cooperative Societies Act, 1989.
The Jammu and Kashmir Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2026, seeks to repeal the Jammu and Kashmir Self Reliant Cooperative Act, 1999, and provide transitional arrangements for self-reliant cooperatives under the 1989 Act.
Speaker Rather also announced the Panel of Chairmen for the autumn session, nominating MLA Eidgah Mubarik Gul, MLA Samba Surjeet Singh Slathia and MLA Bandipora Nizam-ud-din Bhat. The panel members will preside over proceedings in the absence of the Speaker.
Rather urged members to make judicious use of the available time and work with dedication and sincerity to address the issues and aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
