Why the upcoming assembly session in Jammu and Kashmir could see fireworks

The J-K Reorganisation Act makes it mandatory for the government to call the session before October 29. The Act says that the gap between the last day of the most recent assembly session and the first day of the next assembly session shouldn’t be more than six months.

The session could see fireworks as the opposition has said it wants to discuss several key issues.

The arrest of Aam Aadmi Party’s Doda legislator Mehraj Malik is likely to dominate the session. Malik’s arrest under the Public Safety Act was ordered by the Doda Deputy Commissioner, Harvinder Singh, making him the first sitting legislator to be booked under the PSA. It drew criticism from the political parties across the divide, barring the BJP.

The other major issue is the hit taken by the apple industry in the Valley, especially after the Srinagar-Jammu national highway was closed for traffic for three weeks, resulting in fruits rotting away and transport charges skyrocketing.

Though the Railways started a special parcel train to transport the fruit to outside markets, the growers called the initiative too little, too late. The opposition has been targeting the National Conference government for failing to safeguard the interests of fruit growers.

The rationalisation of reservation – a contentious issue that was part of the National Conference’s poll manifesto – could also take centre stage during the session. While the NC formed a cabinet sub-committee that has already submitted its report on reservation, there has been no further movement on the issue. Not just the opposition, but NC’s own leaders, including Srinagar MP Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, have questioned his government’s position on the issue and accused it of failing to keep election promises.

Like in the previous sessions, there may be attempts to bring resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, on statehood, and the holiday on Martyrs’ Day that was scrapped three years ago.

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