Governor acted in haste
Now that the assembly in Jammu and Kashmir stands dissolved, the reaction that followed suggests that the governor Satya Pal Malik acted in haste. Given the mandate PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti had claimed in her letter addressed to the Governor it seems that he should have given a chance to the PDP-led alliance to prove its majority on the floor of the House.
The constitutional mandate and the Supreme Court guidelines were not followed while dissolving the assembly in the face of two persons staking claim for government formation before dissolving the state assembly.
Given the state of affairs that too on the security front prevailing in Kashmir the Governor should have given the claim a second though. Constitutionally he should have satisfied himself by seeking additional documentation in support of the claims made in letter for government formation.
Both PDP president Mehbooba Mufti and People’s Conference, Chairman Sajad Gani Lone had sent letters seeking an oppurtunity to prove their majority on the floor of the house. The Governor should have satisfied himself by seeking more documentary evidence in support of the respective claims and then given them a chance to prove their majority on the floor of the House.
If the assembly was to be dissolved what reason will Rajbhawan provide for keeping it in suspended animation for over five months and with the sole aim of providing a chance for fresh government formation in the state.
The state had witnessed a fractured mandate during the 2014 assembly election and only an alliance of two or more parties could have formed the government as was done in 2015. Just because political parties with divergent ideologies coming together cannot be a reason for not allowing them to prove their majority.
The decision to dissolve the house was taken minutes after PDP Chief sent a letter to Rajbhawan claiming to form a government with NC and Congress support. This move was quite important for the state as three main mainstream parties, albeit, with divergent ideology and views had come together and this was one of the main political developments in the state.
Mainstream politics is already witnessing a decline in Kashmir region. The region that is politically more sensitive and of course important as well. If this region had sprung a surprise for the central leadership by coming together for a cause, it should not have got a knee jerk reaction from the Governor and the centre.
If going by the logic that the Governor is not bound to give an opportunity for floor test to prove majority to any political formation, as according to him horse trading was going on, then, still he will have to satisfy the stakeholders including the general public about the deals that were going on. The Governor, based on material that has been placed before him should come forward and expose the muck that has crept into politics in Jammu and Kashmir.
KV Online
