Srinagar, June 6: Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Conference president Sajad Gani Lone on Saturday questioned former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti for chairing a review meeting at AIIMS Awantipora despite not being an elected legislator, terming the move a “constitutional impropriety.”
In a post on X, Sajad Lone asked what would prevent non-elected functionaries of other political parties, including the BJP or RSS, from chairing similar meetings if such a precedent was accepted.
He also questioned whether other senior political leaders who are not MLAs could similarly preside over official review meetings.
The JKPC Chief argued that political entitlement of this nature was not seen elsewhere in the country and warned that it could blur constitutional and institutional boundaries in Jammu and Kashmir.
Lone said Mehbooba Mufti should acknowledge that chairing the review meeting was an “error of judgment.”
He contended that failure to do so could open the door for other unelected political figures to seek similar roles in official government affairs.He also called upon Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to clarify the issue, alleging that the authority of elected opposition legislators had been eroded.
Referring to Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda, Lone said that while Nadda held constitutional office, he did not have the authority to redefine constitutional roles. He maintained that the AIIMS review meeting chaired by a non-MLA amounted to an “unconstitutional trespass.”