Omar Abdullah Statehood Resolution to be debated in J&K Assembly; 6 NC MLA brings amendments to include Articles 370, 35A

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah speaks during the autumn session of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly in Srinagar on Friday, September 25, 2026. | Photo credit: Imran Nissar

As the statehood resolution moved by J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is to be discussed in the assembly on Monday (September 28, 2026), six National Conference (NC) legislators have moved amendments calling for the inclusion of Articles 370 and 35A in the resolution, which has already received the support of non-aligned parties like the People’s Democratic Party (JKDP) and the People’s Democratic Party (JKDP).

NC MLAs who moved amendments to the resolution included Javid Hassan Baig, Tanvir Sadiq, Ajaz Ahmed Jan, Hilal Akbar Lone, Altaf Ahmad Wani and Choudhary Mohammad Akram. These MLAs sought to insert lines that mention restoration of Articles 370 and 35A along with statehood.

“After the words (November 6, 2024), the following words shall be inserted: (this House reaffirms its commitment to restore the constitutional guarantees enshrined in Articles 370 and 35A as they existed before August 5, 2019),” Mr Sadiq’s amendment reads. All NC MLA amendments sought to restore the position before 5 August 2019, which ended the special status of J&K by weakening Article 370 in 2019.

Congress MLA Nizam Ud Din Bhat, who supported Omar Abdullah’s resolution, also moved an amendment. “Remove the punctuation mark (.) at the end of the resolution and then add these words: ‘as a reminder to honor its own commitments made in various fora and to the poor people of Jammu and Kashmir,'” the amendment said, referring to the statehood demand.

The amendment by opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) lawmaker Waheed Ur Rehman Para seeks to include the following lines: “restore autonomy, apart from restoring Articles 370 and 35A in their original form”.

An amendment by another PDP legislator, Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi, reads: “The following words are inserted after the words (November 6, 2024): (while expressing his deep distress and disapproval of the unilateral measures initiated on and after August 5, 2019, which led to the demise of Article 370, the state of Jammutization and reorganization, while Article 35 Kashmir into the Union Territories of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh).

On September 25, Mr. Abdullah introduced a resolution to restore statehood. The resolution stated: “In addition to the resolutions passed by this House on 26 June 2000 and 6 November 2024, this House calls upon the Government of India for the immediate and urgent restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and resolved that this resolution be forwarded to the Government of India.”

The BJP raised eyebrows over the resolution and the mention of the 2000 Autonomy Resolution, which seeks greater autonomy for the region.

Published – 28 Sep 2026 08:36 IST