Political Tensions Surge in J&K House As BJP Moves No-Confidence Motion Against Speaker

Srinagar: Amid an already charged political atmosphere, the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly witnessed fresh turmoil on Monday when BJP MLA R.S. Pathania moved a no‑confidence motion against Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather. The move came after the Speaker admitted a resolution seeking the restoration of statehood to J&K— the second such resolution in the current Assembly, this time with a pointed reference to the 2000 autonomy resolution.

The moment Pathania introduced the motion, BJP legislators erupted in loud protests, chanting “Kursi chhodo, kursi chhodo, Speaker Sahib kursi chhodo,” (leave chair, leave chair), creating noisy and tense scenes inside the House.

Pathania asserted that 23 party members had formally moved a motion seeking the removal of the Speaker and argued that, in light of this development, the Speaker should refrain from conducting further proceedings of the House. He cited three Parliamentary and one state assembly (UP) precedents and reiterated that the Speaker must step aside until the removal motion was taken up for consideration.

However, the Speaker, maintaining procedural composure, responded that the motion would be formally listed in the Assembly’s business and processed strictly according to established rules. He stated that he had already submitted the matter in writing to the Assembly Secretariat. He clarified that, under the rules, “the motion shall be taken any day 14 days after receiving the notice,” and emphasised that he could not leave the chair vacant while the House was in session and legislative business was underway.

The confrontation had been building since earlier in the day, when Pathania questioned the role of both the Assembly and the Speaker in admitting resolutions and bills — an apparent critique of recent legislative business. His remarks immediately drew objections from National Conference (NC) members, prompting the Speaker to intervene and insist that Pathania be allowed to present his argument uninterrupted. “You sit down. Let him speak. He has a point,” Rather told the ruling party benches.

However, when responding to Pathania’s concerns, the Speaker firmly countered the BJP legislator’s interpretation of Assembly rules. He noted that Pathania, himself a practising lawyer, had misread the relevant provisions. “It is unfortunate that you didn’t read the rule properly,” Rather remarked, adding pointedly, “You are a practising lawyer. You should have read it properly.”