The Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly is set to begin its budget session on March 3, making it the first such session in over seven years. The session will be inaugurated with an address by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, while Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who also holds the finance portfolio, is expected to present the budget for the fiscal year 2025-26 on March 7.
On March 1, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah met Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to discuss key matters related to the budget session. The assembly has received 1,300 questions from 88 MLAs. Although the house has 90 seats, two are currently vacant—one due to the passing of a BJP MLA from Nagrota, and the other after Omar Abdullah resigned from the Budgam seat, having won from both Budgam and Ganderbal.
The session is expected to see intense debates on key issues, including Article 370, pre-election commitments, and the proposed alcohol ban. The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the People’s Conference (PC) have introduced resolutions and bills related to Article 370, seeking to restore Jammu & Kashmir’s special status, a move strongly opposed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The BJP is also preparing to challenge the ruling National Conference (NC) over its election promises, such as free electricity and ration. Additionally, the PDP and PC’s push for an alcohol ban is likely to further fuel heated discussions.
Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather has urged MLAs to maintain decorum and avoid unparliamentary language during the session. Several bills related to Article 370, human rights and the seizure of properties belonging to individuals accused of separatist activities are expected to provoke strong reactions from the BJP.
Major political parties are holding internal meetings in preparation for the session. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah will chair the NC’s strategy meeting at his official residence on Wazarat Road, while Congress leaders led by Tariq Hamid Karra, will meet at the party headquarters in Jammu. The BJP is expected to conduct its legislature party meeting on March 2 or 3.
The last assembly session held in November, witnessed chaotic scenes after the National Conference passed a resolution calling for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status. With similarly contentious issues on the agenda this time, the budget session is expected to be highly charged, shaping the region’s political landscape in the months ahead.
