Why Omar Abdullah’s J&K Resolution Invoked Autonomy While Keeping Focus on Statehood

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s latest resolution in the J&K Assembly has brought the issue of statehood back to the centre of political debate while also referring to earlier resolutions on autonomy and special status.

Speaking in the Assembly, Omar Abdullah argued that the absence of statehood affects the functioning of the Union Territory on a day-to-day basis. He raised concerns over the unfinished Transaction of Business Rules and the limited control of the elected government over areas including law and order, universities, Revenue and Culture departments.

Omar has spent much of the last two years seeking the restoration of statehood through negotiations with the Centre. The latest resolution marked a sharper expression of that demand, with the Chief Minister questioning what the Centre means when it says statehood will be restored at an “appropriate time”.

The resolution called for the immediate and urgent restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. It also referred to two earlier Assembly resolutions — one passed in June 2000 and another in November 2024.

The November 2024 resolution

The November 2024 resolution was passed during the first Assembly session of the current Omar Abdullah government. It called upon the Centre to initiate dialogue with representatives of Jammu and Kashmir for the restoration of special status and constitutional guarantees.

The resolution was passed despite opposition from the BJP. It came after opposition parties in the Valley had criticised the National Conference government for initially focusing on statehood rather than the restoration of J&K’s earlier special status.

What happened in 2000

The reference to the 2000 resolution goes back to the State Autonomy Committee constituted by the Farooq Abdullah government after the National Conference returned to power in 1996.

The committee examined ways to restore autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir and submitted its report in 1999. Among its recommendations was a return to the constitutional position that existed before 1953, including changes to the powers and designations of the state’s top constitutional authorities.

The committee also proposed limiting the Centre’s jurisdiction largely to subjects covered by the Instrument of Accession, including defence, foreign affairs, communications and currency. On June 26, 2000, the J&K Assembly passed a resolution accepting the committee’s report and calling for steps towards its implementation.

Why autonomy was mentioned

The current resolution’s reference to the 2000 and 2024 resolutions connected the present statehood demand with the National Conference’s earlier positions on J&K’s constitutional status.

During the debate, several legislators proposed amendments seeking to include the restoration of the special status associated with Articles 370 and 35A before August 5, 2019. Six of those legislators were from the National Conference. Other amendments were moved by legislators from the PDP, Congress and an Independent MLA.

The amendments were eventually withdrawn. The resolution was then passed by voice vote amid a walkout by BJP legislators.

The BJP did not oppose the demand for restoration of statehood itself but objected to the reference to autonomy, describing that reference as unconstitutional and anti-national. The political disagreement therefore centred partly on the distinction between the restoration of statehood and the question of J&K’s earlier constitutional status.

The resolution thus placed statehood at the forefront while retaining references to the Assembly’s earlier autonomy-related resolutions. The development reflects the continuing political debate in Jammu and Kashmir over statehood, autonomy and the constitutional changes made after August 2019.