Shadow Correspondent
Jammu Oct 23:
While the State Governor has dropped hints of the possibility of fresh Assembly elections in the state, nothing has been said about the fate of Assembly which continues to be kept in suspended animation for more than 4 months in the most irrational and arbitrary manner, said Mr. Harsh Dev Singh JKNPP Chairman and Former Minister. He said that, in view of the political situation as described by Governor’s office in pursuance of the latest RTI filed by him and unambiguously replied by Governor’s secretariat that none of the parties in the state was interested to form the govt in the state, the Assembly could not be kept in suspended animation as per the constitution and law settled on the subject.
The prevalent position of law was amply clear that if the Governor was satisfied that none of the parties or combination of parties could muster the requisite strength, the only alternative was to dissolve the Assembly with immediate effect. He was addressing a press conference in Jammu today.
Mr. Harsh Dev Singh said that the reply provided to him by Governor’s secretariat had revealed that only three days were given by the Governor to various political parties in 2008 after the fall of GN Azad govt to take decision with regard to formation of govt. The reply stated, revealed Harsh, that the GN Azad govt fell on 7th July and the then governor explored the formation of the govt by other parties. And within a period of three days, the Governor recorded his satisfaction that none of the parties was interested to form the govt and the Assembly was accordingly dissolved on 10th July, 2018, said Harsh pointing towards the details provided to him in the RTI reply.
Interestingly, Mr. Harsh divulged that as per the RTI reply, the Governor has recorded his satisfaction, after the fall of BJP-PDP govt also, that none of the parties is interested to form the govt in J&K state but still the Assembly was kept in suspended state. He said that all this was being done by defying the constitution and the prevalent practices and precedents at the behest of the govt at the centre which had earned the dubious notoriety of fiddling with constitutional provisions for promotion of its political interests.
Mr. Harsh Dev Singh further regretted the refusal of the Governor’s secretariat to provide the copies of communications made by the Governor with the President of India and Union Home Ministry over the political stalemate in the state including the response of the central govt in this regard.
He said that information about such communications would have brought to fore the factors and forces behind the irregular prolongation of the suspended assembly in the state.
If the suspended Assembly was dissolved within 3 days in 2008, why it has been allowed to remain in suspension for more than 4 months, said Harsh adding that there could not be two sets of laws to deal with identical situation in the same state.
Present in the press conference was Mr. Rajiv Mahajan District President Jammu (Urban) of JKNPP.
