Jammu | Nov, 11: Leader of Opposition in the J&K Assembly Sunil Sharma on Wednesday criticized the ruling National Conference (NC) for setting up informal advisory groups of its MLAs, alleging the move is aimed at managing internal party dissent rather than improving administration.
In a press statement, Sharma questioned the constitutional basis of directing elected ministers to report to party-level bodies, arguing that such setups bypass established democratic institutions and the Legislative Assembly’s committee system.
“Dr Farooq Abdullah holds no constitutional or governmental office. On what authority is a party president directing Ministers of an elected Government to report to party-level groups? This clearly exposes the reality that the Government is being run from Gupkar rather than the Civil Secretariat,” he said.
“Governance cannot be based on party loyalty. Development must follow the needs and aspirations of the people, not the political convenience of the ruling party. Even the NC’s own alliance partners have been kept outside this arrangement, clearly demonstrating that these groups are meant to manage internal dissent rather than promote inclusive governance,” he said.
“If these groups have no such powers, they are nothing more than a consolation prize offered to disgruntled NC MLAs. However, if they are allowed to exercise any administrative authority, they risk becoming unaccountable parallel power centers outside the established constitutional framework. The people of Jammu and Kashmir elected 90 MLAs, not just members of the National Conference,” he said.
“The Assembly is where the Government must answer questions, face scrutiny and remain accountable to the people through their elected representatives. Ministers are accountable to the House, not to political groups constituted by one party. The Opposition has a legitimate and indispensable role in holding the Government accountable,” he said.
“Calling these groups ‘informal’ does not make the questions surrounding their functioning disappear. If they have no official role or authority, what purpose do they serve? And if they are being given access to official information and departmental functioning, under what rules and legal authority is this being done?” he questioned.
“This is nothing but political eyewash designed to silence internal dissent and keep unhappy MLAs within the party fold,” Sharma said.
“Such committees would ensure participation across party lines, promote transparency, strengthen democratic institutions and give every elected representative an opportunity to contribute to governance. Jammu and Kashmir deserves accountable and inclusive governance, not party-controlled parallel arrangements,” he added.
