“More than a political arena, the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly is the voice of the people and the guardian of public accountability. This session must rise above party politics to deliver vigorous, responsible democracy.”
The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly is not merely another political platform. It is the institution where the concerns of ordinary people are expected to find a voice, where the government is questioned, policies are scrutinised and public money is subjected to democratic oversight. Its proceedings therefore carry a responsibility far greater than the political interests of individual parties or members. The ongoing Assembly session should be an opportunity to demonstrate that democratic politics can be both vigorous and responsible. Differences between the government and Opposition are natural and, indeed, necessary. But disagreement loses its democratic value when it repeatedly descends into disruptions, shouting matches, sloganeering or proceedings being stalled over issues that could be debated through established parliamentary procedures. An Assembly that spends more time in uproar than discussion ultimately deprives the public of something precious: accountability. There is no shortage of issues demanding the attention of legislators in Jammu and Kashmir. Unemployment remains a major concern, particularly among educated young people waiting for recruitment opportunities. Questions surrounding government jobs, recruitment examinations, infrastructure, healthcare, education, roads, power supply, drinking water, agriculture and tourism require sustained discussion. Rural areas continue to face development challenges, while urban centres struggle with traffic congestion, drainage, waste management and pressure on civic infrastructure. These are not abstract political questions. They directly affect households across Jammu and Kashmir. The Opposition has an important responsibility in this process. Its role is not simply to oppose every government proposal, nor is it limited to staging protests inside the House. A strong Opposition should ask precise questions, demand documents, challenge government claims with evidence, expose administrative failures and propose alternatives. It should make the government uncomfortable through scrutiny, not through disorder. The Government, on the other hand, must recognise that criticism is an essential part of democratic governance. Ministers and departments should respond to questions with facts rather than political counterattacks. If an issue raised by an MLA concerns an administrative failure, the appropriate response is an explanation, an assurance of corrective action or, where necessary, an admission that something went wrong. The credibility of the Assembly depends on both sides. There is also a responsibility on individual legislators. The people of Jammu and Kashmir elected them to represent constituencies, not merely political positions.
“The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly has a choice: become a circus of noise or a engine of real governance. True legislative success isn’t measured by loud protests or dominating headlines, but by hard questions answered, assurances honored, and concrete solutions delivered. The people of J&K deserve robust, fiery debate—not political spectacle—and a legislature that earns respect through results, not racket.”
Every disruption carries an opportunity cost. When proceedings are repeatedly adjourned, questions remain unanswered, private members’ business is affected and legislative scrutiny suffers. The loss is ultimately borne by citizens whose concerns may never reach meaningful discussion. The Assembly must also become more accessible to public concerns through better use of questions, calling-attention motions, committees and other legislative mechanisms. Committees, in particular, can provide the detailed scrutiny that is often impossible during noisy floor debates. Reports emerging from such mechanisms should receive serious attention from the government and should not simply disappear into bureaucratic files. There is nothing wrong with political theatre; politics has always involved persuasion, confrontation and strong rhetoric. But an elected legislature cannot allow theatre to replace its primary function. A democratic Assembly should be a place where arguments are stronger than slogans and evidence carries more weight than volume. Jammu and Kashmir’s political institutions are still developing in a new constitutional and administrative environment. This makes the conduct of the Assembly even more important. The House has an opportunity to establish a culture in which disagreement is robust but proceedings remain productive. People do not expect legislators to agree with one another. They expect them to work. The test of a successful Assembly session should therefore not be how loudly members protested, how many times proceedings were disrupted or which side dominated the political headlines. The real measure should be how many public issues were raised, how many questions received answers, how many government assurances were recorded and how many concrete solutions emerged. The Assembly belongs to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. It should reflect their concerns, their aspirations and their demand for accountable governance. Debate it. Challenge it. Question it. Oppose it when necessary. But do not turn it into a circus. A legislature earns respect not through noise, but through the quality of the work it does on behalf of the people.
