CM withdraws salary Bills amid BJP opposition
Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Tuesday passed five Bills moved by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah while withdrawing two other legislations seeking a hike in salaries and allowances of Ministers and legislators following objections from BJP members.
The withdrawal of the salary-related Bills came after opposition members raised objections to the proposed increase, with the Chief Minister stating that he was not in favour of the hike and would not allow the Bills to pass if any member opposed them. The House subsequently approved their withdrawal by majority.
“I was never in favour of it. Ask my MLAs. If a single member opposes, it will never pass. I withdraw the Bill,” Omar said.
Responding to the objections, the Chief Minister also said there was no dissenting note in the House Committee that had recommended the proposed increase. He accused BJP members of simultaneously seeking higher salaries and allowances while politicising the issue by referring to the problems faced by daily wagers.
The withdrawn Bills were the Jammu and Kashmir Ministers’ and Ministers of State Salaries (Amendment) Bill, 2026 (L.A. Bill No. 13 of 2026) and the Jammu and Kashmir Salaries and Allowances of Members of the State Legislature (Amendment) Bill, 2026 (L.A. Bill No. 14 of 2026).
Earlier, the House passed five Bills moved by the Chief Minister covering municipal governance, Ease of Doing Business and Ease of Living, taxation, legislative members’ pension, and rationalisation and decriminalisation of offences.
The Bills had been introduced on September 24 and September 28 and circulated among members before being taken up for consideration and passage during the ongoing Autumn Session.
The Jammu and Kashmir Municipal (Amendment) Bill, 2026 (L.A. Bill No. 10 of 2026) was moved by Omar in his capacity as Minister Incharge, Housing and Urban Development.
As Minister Incharge, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, he moved the Jammu and Kashmir Ease of Doing Business Bill, 2026 (L.A. Bill No. 11 of 2026), which seeks to consolidate and amend the existing legal framework by replacing permission-based controls with rule-based governance.
The legislation aims to facilitate citizens and enterprises in planning, investing and conducting business, besides promoting employment, investment and long-term economic growth in J&K.
In his capacity as Minister Incharge, Finance, Omar moved the Jammu and Kashmir Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2026 (L.A. Bill No. 12 of 2026), proposing amendments to the Jammu and Kashmir Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017.
The House also passed the Jammu and Kashmir State Legislature Members’ Pension (Amendment) Bill, 2026 (L.A. Bill No. 15 of 2026), moved by Omar as Minister Incharge, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs. The Bill seeks amendments to the Jammu and Kashmir State Legislature Members’ Pension Act, 1984.
The fifth legislation, the Jammu and Kashmir Decriminalisation and Rationalisation of Offences Bill, 2026 (L.A. Bill No. 16 of 2026), seeks to amend various enactments to decriminalise and rationalise offences, promote Ease of Living and Ease of Doing Business, and repeal certain enactments.
