The second successive budget session of the Omar Abdullah-led National Conference government concluded on Saturday, but uncertainty continues to prevail over the name of the Deputy Speaker of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly.
Since the formation of the Omar Abdullah government, four sessions of the present Legislative Assembly have been conducted without a Deputy Speaker due to a lack of consensus between the ruling National Conference and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on the issue.
Before the commencement of this year's two-phased budget session on February 2, there were speculations that the much-awaited decision on the post of Deputy Speaker would be taken. However, no announcement was made before the House adjourned sine die.
As reported earlier, the Omar Abdullah government, supported by the Congress, CPI(M), and four Independents, assumed office on October 16, 2024. Over 17 months after the formation of the regime, the key constitutional position of Deputy Speaker remains vacant, with the opposition—particularly the BJP—seeking clarity on the delay.
Following the maiden Assembly elections held in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir in October 2024, the National Conference came to power, while the BJP emerged as the principal opposition party with 29 seats.
As per long-standing legislative conventions and traditions in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, the post of Deputy Speaker is usually allotted to the largest opposition party, enabling it to play a meaningful role in Assembly proceedings. On this basis, the BJP has been expecting its nominee to be appointed.
According to the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, the election for the Deputy Speaker must be conducted "as soon as may be". "The Legislative Assembly shall, as soon as may be, choose two members of the Assembly to be, respectively, Speaker and Deputy Speaker thereof, and, so often as the office of Speaker or Deputy Speaker becomes vacant, the Assembly shall choose another member to be Speaker or Deputy Speaker, as the case may be," reads sub-section (1) of Section 19 of the Act.
In the previous PDP-BJP coalition government, the position was given to the National Conference, which held only 15 seats at the time. Nazir Gurezi of the NC was elected deputy speaker. Similarly, during the Congress-NC government, the post was held by PDP's Sartaj Madni.
As reported earlier, BJP leaders in Jammu and Kashmir have raised concerns over the delay and urged the government to adhere to parliamentary traditions. Party sources said informal communications have been made to the ruling dispensation, but no definitive response has been received so far.
Given the strained relations between the principal opposition and the ruling party, the Omar Abdullah government has not issued any official statement on the matter. The ruling National Conference is weighing its options carefully, considering the sensitive and complex political environment in Jammu and Kashmir.
No constitutional obligation for immediate appointment of Deputy Speaker
As there is no constitutional mandate requiring the immediate appointment of a Deputy Speaker, the prolonged delay—now over 17 months since the formation of the government—has fuelled speculation about possible political calculations. Some analysts suggest that the NC may be deliberately delaying the decision to limit the BJP's influence in the House.
With the Budget session having concluded without any decision and the BJP continuing to press its claim, the issue of the Deputy Speaker's appointment is expected to gain further prominence in the coming weeks.
Until a decision is taken, the Legislative Assembly will continue to function without a Deputy Speaker, adding another layer of political uncertainty to governance in the Union Territory.
As the ruling National Conference has not given any indication of offering the Deputy Speaker's post to the opposition, the BJP leadership has maintained a guarded silence on the issue. Instead of raising it publicly, the party leadership is awaiting the next move of the ruling National Conference.
