Rajya Sabha approves extension of President's Rule in J&K

New Delhi, July 01: The Rajya Sabha on Monday gave its nod to extend President's Rule in Jammu and Kashmir by a period of 6 months with effect from July 3, 2019. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had earlier today moved a bill in Rajya Sabha to extend President's Rule in Jammu and Kashmir by another six months.

Jammu and Kashmir has been under Central rule since June 2018, when the BJP ended its alliance with Mehbooba Mufti's People's Democratic Party.

The Lok Sabha had given its nod for the extension of President's Rule on Friday. Earlier, Governor's Rule in the state ended on December 1, 2018 and the J&K Assembly was dissolved with no possibility of a stable government in the offing.

Shah said that Assembly elections in the state, which is under President' Rule since December last year following six months of Governor's Rule since June 2018, were not held simultaneously along with the recent Lok Sabha polls because it was not possible to ensure security of all the candidates who were expected to participate in the democratic exercise.

He said the Centre has no inclination to run the state by means of President's Rule, but, the Home Minister, said 'situation in the state is such that.

The People's Democratic Party (PDP), Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Samajwadi Party (SP) have decided to support the extension of President's Rule in Jammu and Kashmir. The PDP backed the resolution to extend President's rule in Jammu and Kashmir by six months. "We have faith in home minister Amit Shah," PDP's Rajya Sabha MP Nazeer Ahmad Laway said, as per HT report.

This is likely to be the last extension of the central rule in the state as the Election Commission had issued a statement recently stating that elections in Jammu and Kashmir would be announced after the annual Amarnath Yatra beginning on July 1.

The present term of President's rule is expiring on July 2 and the Governor had recommended that the President rule in the state may be extended

Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill 2019 has also been passed in Rajya Sabha. The bill entails extending 3 percent reservations in education and jobs to those living near the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB), considering that they strive in harsh conditions.