Amit Shah seeks 6-month extension of President’s Rule in J&K; says polls by year end

New Delhi, June 28: Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday proposed a six-month extension of President's Rule in Jammu and Kashmir.

Moving the resolution, he said since the state assembly has been dissolved and the Election Commission has decided to hold fresh elections in Jammu and Kashmir later this year, it is essential that the President's Rule be extended for another six months with effect from July 3, 2019.

"The Election Commission has held talks with the Centre and all political parties and decided that it would be possible to hold elections at the end of this year." Shah said the elections were delayed due to Ramzan, the Amarnath Yatra and security reasons.

He also informed Parliament that Assembly elections in the state would be held by the end of the year.
However, Congress MP Manish Tewari opposed the extension and blamed the BJP-PDP government for the worsening of the situation in the state.

"The roots of the reason for seeking 6-month extension for President's rule in J&K lie in the incompatible government formed by the BJP and PDP alliance." Tiwari said adding, "Situation in J&K worsened between 2015 and 2018 when the youth of the state took to the streets."

Amit Shah introduces Jammu and kashmir Quota Bill.

The Home Minister further moved the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2019, to replace an ordinance issued by the previous government.

Shah said that as per law, 43 per cent reservation is available in the state and under this 3 per cent is for people living along the LoC. The bill provides to extend reservation under this 3 per cent to people living along the International Border (IB) in the state.

"This reservation is not to please anybody," he said adding due to bombardments people are forced to stay in shelters and students stay away from schools. "This will help 3.5 lakh people living in Kathua, Samba and Jammu," he said.

This is the first proposal Shah has moved in the Lok Sabha after being appointed as the home minister in the second tenure of the Narendra Modi government.