Jammu, Apr 07 : The Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly was repeatedly disrupted on Monday after the Speaker disallowed an adjournment motion moved by legislators from the ruling NC-led alliance regarding the Waqf (Amendment) Bill-2025. The chaos resulted in two adjournments before the Speaker ultimately adjourned the House for the day.
As the proceedings began, MLAs from the ruling alliance immediately stood up, demanding that their adjournment motion on the Waqf Bill be allowed for discussion.
“There should be a discussion on the Waqf Bill in the Assembly of a Muslim-majority state like Jammu and Kashmir. If farm laws and NRC were discussed in assemblies of other states, why can’t we discuss the Waqf Bill? It directly impacts us,” said NC MLA Tanvir Sadiq, urging the Speaker to adjourn the House for the discussion.
As the NC legislators continued demanding a discussion on the Waqf Bill, BJP MLAs rose in protest, opposing the motion. Amid the growing commotion,
However, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather clarified that he had received an adjournment motion from nine MLAs but added that according to Rule 58 (sub-rule VII), such a motion cannot be allowed as the matter is already under adjudication in a court of law.
Addressing the House, the Speaker stated, “The matter has been challenged before the Supreme Court, and as per Rule 58(vii), the motion shall not deal with any issue currently under adjudication by a court of law with jurisdiction in any part of India.” He emphasized that under the legislative rules, the notices could not be admitted due to the ongoing judicial proceedings.
“The Waqf (Amendment) Bill-2025 has been challenged in the Supreme Court,” the Speaker explained, reinforcing his decision to disallow the motion.
In response, PDP’s Waheed Para questioned why the law could not be discussed in the Assembly, pointing out that resolutions disapproving the Bill had been passed in the Tamil Nadu and Karnataka assemblies. The Speaker replied that the resolution in Tamil Nadu was passed before the issue became sub-judice.
Citing the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the J&K Assembly, the Speaker stood by his ruling, disallowing the motion. This sparked protests from National Conference, Congress, and PDP legislators, while BJP legislators supported the ruling by thumping their benches.
Shouting slogans such as “Waqf Bill Na Manzoor” (Waqf Bill is unacceptable) and “Kalaa Kanoon Na Manzoor” (Draconian law is unacceptable), legislators from the ruling alliance attempted to storm the well of the House, but were restrained by Marshals.
Amid ongoing protests, the Speaker adjourned the House for 15 minutes, marking the first adjournment of the ongoing budget session.
When the House reconvened after the break, NC and Congress legislators stormed the well, continuing their protest. PDP MLAs and People’s Conference (PC) president Sajad Gani Lone also joined in, demanding a discussion on the Waqf Bill.
In the heat of the protest, some NC legislators tore question papers and threw them into the air and even black waistcoat of Majid Larmi was tore.
NC’s Nazir Gurezi declared, “We will not allow the House to function if this issue is not discussed. We are ready to sacrifice anything for it. This is our religious issue.”
With both the ruling alliance and BJP MLAs shouting slogans, the Speaker adjourned the House for another 20 minutes.
Later, the Speaker adjourned the proceedings for the day.
3 Bills passed by Assembly assented by LG: Secy LA
Secretary, Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, Manoj Kumar Pandit today informed the House that three Bills, passed by Legislative Assembly have been assented to by the Lieutenant Governor on March 25, 2025.
The Secretary further read out “Three Bills, passed by Legislative Assembly have been assented to by the Lieutenant Governor on 25th of March, 2025. The Bills include The Jammu and Kashmir Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2025 (L.A. Bill No. 1 of 2025), The Jammu and Kashmir Appropriation Bill, 2025 (L.A. Bill No. 2 of 2025) and The Jammu and Kashmir Appropriation Bill, 2025 (L.A. Bill No. 3 of 2025)”.
