Srinagar: The Lieutenant Governor’s (LG’s) powers to restrict questions in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on matters where he has to act independently could pose a challenge to the scrutiny of human rights issues in the Union Territory.

With the LG vested with powers to prohibit questions on reserved subjects, the lawmakers of the Union Territory may not be able to ask questions in the House about law and order and police actions to scrutinise the issues which earlier dominated discussions in the assembly of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

LG’s powers to prohibit questions on reserved subjects

As per clause(c) of the proviso to sub-section (1) of Section 46 of Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Act 2019, the Lieutenant Governor shall, after consultation with the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, make rules for prohibiting the discussion of, or the asking of questions on, any matter which affects the discharge of the functions of the Lieutenant Governor in so far as he is required by this Act to act in his discretion.

“The LG can prevent questions on the matters in which he has to act in his discretion. The LG will decide whether questions on these matters should be asked on the floor of the House,” P.D.T. Achray, former Lok Sabha General Secretary and expert on........

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