Statehood Resolution Passed in Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Amid BJP’s Opposition

Key Points:

JAMMU & KASHMIR ASSEMBLY on Monday, September 28, 2026, passed a resolution that called for the restoration of “full statehood,” with 60 of the 90 MLAs supporting it, while Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) staged a walkout. The assembly had met Monday morning to discuss the resolution on restoration of Statehood moved by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on September 25, which was followed by a massive uproar, including sloganeering and a walkout by 29 BJP legislators. 

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All political parties—allies such as the Congress and CPI(M), and non-allies such as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), J&K Peoples Conference (JKPC), the Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)—-supported the resolution, except the BJP.

The trajectory of the “Full Restoration” Resolution

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had moved the latest resolution demanding the “full restoration” of statehood on September 25. Following this, around ten legislators submitted their amendment proposals in order to strengthen its legislative validity, but were withdrawn. The latest resolution read, “In addition to the resolutions passed by this House on 26 June 2000 and 6 November 2024, the House calls upon the Government of India for the immediate and urgent restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and resolves that this resolution be forwarded to the Government of India.”

Mr. Abdullah while speaking at the assembly on Monday, September 28, clarified that the demand was “only on Statehood.” “It’s a carefully written resolution because we know the BJP will try to disrupt the House and not participate in voting. No where in the resolution do we seek voting on Article 370, 35A or the special status. We are seeking a vote on the restoration of Statehood,” CM Abdullah said while discussing the proposal in the assembly.  In addition to this, around eight National Conference legislators moved certain amendments asking to include Article 370, 35A and pre-August 2019 Status. However, CM Abdullah pointed out that the resolutions on special status have already been passed by the assembly in 2000 and 2024.

Omar Abdullah also sought to highlight several governance issues, such as the absence of an advocate general, alongside the law and chief secretary’s unilateral communication with the speaker of the Assembly.  Citing the letter of the Law Secretary and Chief secretary to the speaker asking him to disallow the discussion of the resolution, CM Abdullah criticized these actions. He further pointed out the Central government’s failure to uphold their repeated assurances of restoring statehood. 

Omar Abdullah in his speech warned about conflating the restoration of statehood to the end of Militancy. “If that is the case, then J&K’s statehood will happen in Islamabad and not in Delhi. When you say statehood will come once guns and ammunition go silent, it rests the case with Pakistan. We want Statehood restoration to be decided by our own government and our Prime Minister,” Omar Abdullah added.

What did the Other Legislators Say?

BJP had staunchly opposed the entire sequence of events and decided against participating in the discussion. Speaking against the resolutions, Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma, raised their party’s stance in the zero hour. “ Jammu and Kashmir is a sensitive region with an enemy country, which keeps conspiring nearby. WE are for positive discussion on statehood. It's BJP’s agenda to bring statehood. However, we will not speak on a controversial resolution,” said Mr. Sharma, as reported by The Hindu. 

The congress legislator G.A Mir and AAP legislator Mehraj Malik supporting the resolution spoke on the necessity to restore J&K’s Statehood. PDP leader Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra supported the resolution, while also stating critical questions towards the stated proposal. “Is it about statehood or Article 370 or Autonomy? Why is NC not clearly mentioning Article 370 and Article 35A despite having a majority?” said legislator Rehman Parra. 

In a similar light, JKPC legislator Sajad Lone and AIP legislator Sheikh Khursheed, also extended their support to the resolution.  

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The BJP legislators staged a walkout on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, and vehemently protested against the tabled resolution, declaring it as “unconstitutional.” They further alleged that Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather was being biased and raised the demand for his removal too. The speaker, too, responded to the sharp remarks by the BJP leaders, stating that their “hooliganism will not work here.”

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