Without statehood restoration, Govt can’t Deliver fully on its Manifesto: Speaker Rather

Srinagar, Sept 21: Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather on Sunday said the elected government cannot fully deliver on its promises until statehood is restored, pointing out that the absence of key powers has created a gap between people’s expectations and the government’s authority.

He said people had voted enthusiastically for change, but the administration lacked the autonomy needed to fulfil its commitments. “The government does not have the authority to implement all promises immediately. Until statehood is restored, it will be difficult for the government to deliver on its manifesto in full,” Rather said.

He also highlighted a growing perception that the Chief Minister’s role and powers remained unclear under existing business rules. Decisions regarding the division of powers between the elected government and the Lieutenant Governor’s administration needed to be clarified, he added, calling it a significant issue, particularly concerning reservation policies.

Asked about rising public frustration despite the ruling party’s two-thirds majority, Rather said resignation was not a solution. “If resigning could solve people’s problems, we would have asked everyone to resign and walked away from governance. But that is not how governance works,” he said.

On the question of statehood restoration, the Speaker said assurances had come from the highest levels. “The Prime Minister, the Home Minister, and the Supreme Court have all stated that statehood will be restored. We must have faith in these assurances,” he said.

Responding to opposition allegations of bias in Assembly proceedings, Rather maintained he had acted strictly within constitutional limits. “I took decisions based solely on legal frameworks, not political convenience. My role is to uphold the law, not to favour or disfavour anyone,” he said.

He added that committees had already submitted reports on reservation policies and the matter was under government review. He also confirmed the Assembly session would be held in October as constitutionally required.

Rather admitted that the business rules defining the Chief Minister’s powers had not yet been finalised, saying the lack of clarity on what fell under the Chief Minister’s jurisdiction was one of the reasons behind people’s disappointment. While acknowledging public frustration over unmet expectations, he urged people to understand the limits of the present arrangement, pointing out that people wanted a strong, empowered government, but certain powers were still missing.