Aazan Manzoor
Srinagar, Sept 29 (JKNS): Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday withdrew a Bill seeking to amend the Salaries and Allowances of Members of the Jammu and Kashmir State Legislature Act, 1960, after BJP legislators opposed the legislation in the Assembly.
The Bill, L.A. Bill No. 14 of 2026, was listed for consideration and passage in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, as per news agency JKNS.
During the proceedings, BJP MLAs said they were opposed to the Bill and demanded that the government should first regularise daily wagers.
Responding to the opposition, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the government had the majority to pass the Bill but he did not want to proceed with it in the face of opposition from members.
“I had the majority, but I will not pass it. I will withdraw it,” Omar said.
The Chief Minister said the issue had been part of the committee’s report and claimed that BJP members had not raised objections at that stage, when their own MLAs were part of the committee.
He said he was aware that the Bill could be politicised and had already made up his mind that if even one member opposed it, he would withdraw the legislation.
“I was aware that they will politicise it, so I had made up my mind that if any member, even if it is one, opposes it, I will withdraw the Bill,” he said.
Omar also questioned the BJP members’ demand for regularisation of daily wagers, saying that before his government came to power in 2024, it was their rule, and asked why they did not regularise the daily wagers during that period.
He said the issue was now being raised with the present government despite the fact that the previous administration had been in charge before 2024.
When the Speaker asked the House to vote on the motion for withdrawal of the Bill, BJP members did not vote in favour of the withdrawal, following which NC members laughed during the proceedings.
The Bill was subsequently withdrawn by the government. (JKNS)
