The Union Home Ministry has said the jurisdictions have been clearly defined for Lt Governor and Chief Minister in Jammu and Kashmir, sources said.
There has been no tension in public between Lt Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in over one month of rule of Omar.
Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary today said the Omar Abdullah government has enough powers to rise to the aspirations of the people.
“If seen from the right perspective, there is no overlapping of jurisdiction. The right to appoint the advocate general wrests with the Lt Governor under the J&K Reorganisation Act 2019 read with the J&K Reorganisation Amendment Act 2023. There is no way this should be interpreted as any point of friction between the Lt Governor and the chief minister,” sources said.
The chief minister, as long as he is the CM of J&K as a union territory, should have no confusion about his powers. The chief minister has all the powers except that the prerogative to transfer IAS/IPS officers lies entirely with the Lt Governor as does his power over the UT police department.
If the Lt Governor ordered the transfer of some IAS officer in the interest of administration why should anybody try and interpret it as overlapping or overstepping of jurisdiction?” sources in the Union Home Ministry said.
“Lt Governor Sinha has made it amply clear that he stands to support and work together with the elected government. In fact, it was the tireless effort and commitment of the LG that both Lok Sabha and Assembly elections were held peacefully and in the fairest manner that ensured that the will of the people was reflected in the elected government that we have in J&K today,” the sources said.
“The LG is constitution-bound to perform his duty as clearly defined in the Reorganisation Act. Yes, there is nothing called absolute power which lies either with the Lt Governor or the chief minister. Both are constitutionally elected and appointed offices and each has to perform for the benefit of the people. Anybody trying to create a wedge between the offices of the Lt. Governor and the chief minister is neither a well-wisher of the people nor of the two August offices he/she wants to bring into confrontation”, sources in the ministry said.
They said the rules of business are being vetted by the Union Home Ministry and would soon be made public to put at rest all speculations of overlapping of jurisdiction in J&K.