First time in the history of Jammu and Kashmir, elected Members of the Legislative Assembly will take oaths of the Indian Constitution instead of the "State Constitution"
The first session of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly will start on November 4.
Before that, the new members of the assembly will take oath as MLAs today. Protem Speaker Mubarak Gul will administer the oath of their responsibility to the new members. The MLAs elected for the first time in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly will take the oath of the Indian Constitution. Before this, they will take the oath of the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir.
The new members elected for the first assembly of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir will take oath as MLAs on Monday. Pro tem Speaker Mubarak Gul will administer the oath of office to the new members at the Assembly Complex in Srinagar. The time of the ceremony has been fixed at 2 pm. All the members have already been informed about the oath.
Many MLAs of Jammu have reached Srinagar today, while many will reach on Monday morning. For the first time in Jammu and Kashmir, MLAs will take oath under the Indian Constitution.
Text of the oath changed after the abrogation of Art 370
Before the abolition of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, the oath of the Jammu and Kashmir Constitution was taken. On August 5, 2019, the Modi government removed Article 370. Elections have been held for 90 seats of the Assembly in Jammu and Kashmir.
From 17th November 1952 to 31st October 2019 Jammu and Kashmir governed as a State of India with Article 370 granting it the right of a separate constitution, a state flag and internal administrative autonomy.
On August 5th 2019 the Government of India showed a presidential degree replacing the 1954 degree and making the sections of the Indian constitution applicable to Jammu and Kashmir. The order was based on the resolution passed by both houses of India's parliament with a 2/3 majority also the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act 2019 was enacted by parliament establishing the division of the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories to be known as Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and Union Territory of Ladakh.
The National Conference has won the highest number of seats in the Assembly, 42. BJP has got 29 seats, Congress has got 6 seats, PDP has got 3, CPI(M) has got 1, Aam Aadmi Party has got 1 and other independents have won.
The Lieutenant Governor has already administered the oath to the Protem Speaker. After completing the constitutional process of oath-taking of MLAs of all political parties, the first session of the Assembly will be held on November 4.
It is certain that the Speaker will be from the ruling National Conference party. Abdul Rahim Rather, a senior leader of the National Conference and winner of the Assembly elections seven times, is likely to be the Speaker. It is also believed that the National Conference can give the post of Deputy Speaker to the biggest opposition party BJP. Rather has a long experience of the Assembly. He has been the Finance Minister and was the Leader of the Opposition during the PDP-Congress coalition government.
The first session of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly will begin on November 4. This session, which will last for eight to 10 days, will run according to the rules of procedure and working of the Jammu and Kashmir state assembly before August 5, 2019.
Rules related to the procedure and working of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly are to be decided. The Speaker will form a committee of the house. The committee will be formed only after the election of the Speaker.
