Overview
- At UT Foundation Day events in Srinagar, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said the elected administration already has sufficient authority and should not cite the absence of statehood to explain underperformance.
- Sinha reiterated that, except for law and order and transfers of central services like IPS and IAS, powers rest with the Union Territory government and he denied any overlap in jurisdiction.
- Chief Minister Omar Abdullah countered that his government is working despite hurdles from the Centre, citing the April Pahalgam attack that killed 26 people as a security failure outside his remit and asking for a clear definition of the “appropriate time” for restoring statehood.
- The ruling National Conference skipped UT Foundation Day celebrations, with its spokesman saying the downgrade to a Union Territory is not something to celebrate and reaffirming the party’s demand for statehood.
- Sinha said the process of terminating government employees linked to terror would continue, and no new commitment or timeline for restoring statehood was announced.