Jammu, Nov 11 (KNO): Leader of Opposition in the J&K Assembly Sunil Sharma on Wednesday accused the National Conference (NC) government of constituting informal advisory groups of its MLAs to contain internal dissent rather than improve governance, questioning the authority and purpose of the arrangement.
In a statement issued to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Sharma questioned the authority of NC president Dr Farooq Abdullah to direct Ministers to report to party-level groups, saying the arrangement raised concerns over the functioning of democratic institutions.
“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.
Sharma said the arrangement appeared to create parallel mechanisms within the ruling party instead of strengthening established democratic institutions.
He cautioned that giving NC MLAs exclusive access to Ministers and advance information about policy decisions could undermine democratic equality and marginalise Opposition representatives.
“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.
Questioning the proposed functioning of the groups, Sharma asked whether they would have access to departmental files, authority to review expenditure or powers to question government officers. He also questioned whether Ministers would be accountable to the Chief Minister and the elected Assembly or to the party president.
“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 LoP said the arrangement bypassed the Legislative Assembly and its committee system, which he described as the appropriate democratic forums for examining government policies and ensuring accountability.
“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.
Sharma also raised questions over Ministers sharing official policy matters and departmental information with party-level groups, saying such disclosures could raise concerns about propriety and accountability.
“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.
He further alleged that the groups were intended to placate NC legislators who could not be accommodated in the Council of Ministers due to the constitutional limit on its size.
“This is nothing but political eyewash designed to silence internal dissent and keep unhappy MLAs within the party fold,” Sharma said.
Suggesting an alternative, the LoP called for the establishment of All-Party Consultative Committees to ensure participation of elected representatives across party lines in policy discussions.
“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.
He reiterated that Ministers were accountable to the elected House and not to the president of a political party—(KNO)