J&K CM Omar Abdullah Calls Union Territory Model ‘Worst Form Of Government’; Demands Statehood

Jammu and Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah has intensified the demand for the restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, saying the current Union Territory arrangement has failed to provide effective governance and must be replaced with a system that gives complete authority to the elected government.

Speaking about the political future of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah described the existing governance structure as unsuitable for a region with a large population, complex administration and a 90-member Assembly. He argued that the Union Territory model with limited powers for elected representatives has created administrative confusion and weakened democratic accountability.

The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister said meaningful governance in the region is only possible if full statehood is restored and the elected government is entrusted with complete administrative powers, including greater control over law and order and policy decisions.

"I continue to believe that a system of Union territory with an assembly is by far the worst form of government," Omar Abdullah said while reiterating his long-standing demand for statehood.

Abdullah also questioned the logic of treating Jammu and Kashmir under the same framework as smaller Union Territories with much smaller legislatures. According to him, the scale and political sensitivity of Jammu and Kashmir require a governance model where elected representatives have clear authority instead of sharing powers under a dual administrative system.

The Chief Minister maintained that keeping major administrative powers away from the elected government does not serve the interests of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He said a divided power structure creates inefficiency and makes governance more difficult.

At the same time, Omar Abdullah indicated that discussions with the Centre regarding administrative rules and powers have shown progress. However, he stressed that the larger political goal remains the restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.

Abdullah also accused some groups of attempting to create divisions between Jammu and Srinagar but claimed such efforts had not succeeded. He pointed to the revival of the traditional Darbar Move as an important step towards preserving administrative and emotional unity between the two regions.

The renewed statehood demand comes amid continuing political debate over Jammu and Kashmir's governance structure after the former state was reorganised into a Union Territory in 2019.