SRINAGAR: Former Union Minister P. Chidambaram has expressed concern over the absence of the elected Chief Minister in a law and order review meeting chaired by the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir.
In a post on X,Chidambaram said:
“The photograph of the LG of Jammu & Kashmir presiding over a meeting to review the law and order situation in J&K is telling. The elected Chief Minister is not present. Whether he was invited or not, I do not know,” he said.
Chidambaram further noted that under the current legal framework, police and public order are subjects controlled by the LG, leaving the elected government sidelined.
He added:“The people have elected a Chief Minister and government to look after their security, among other things, but the Chief Minister has no authority. This is why J&K is described as half a state.”
The former minister called for the immediate restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, emphasizing that the current governance arrangement undermines the authority of the elected leadership.