CM Omar mulls becoming party to statehood plea in Supreme Court

Srinagar, Oct 18: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday said he is seriously considering becoming a party to the ongoing case in the Supreme Court regarding the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, saying his experience of leading the region both as a full-fledged state and as a Union Territory gives him a unique understanding of what is at stake.

Addressing a press conference in Srinagar, Omar said he has already held discussions with senior lawyers on the matter.

“It’s under active consideration. I am perhaps the only person who has been Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir as a state and now as Chief Minister of a Union Territory. I have seen both sides — the powers and responsibilities that come with being a state, and the limitations that come with being a UT,” he said.

The Chief Minister said that if he decides to join the case, it would not be for political reasons but to place before the court the practical impact of statehood revocation on governance and public welfare. “I feel it is important for the Supreme Court to hear from someone who has experienced this transition firsthand. My perspective is administrative, not political. I want to help the court understand what has changed for the people and for their elected government,” he said.

Omar reiterated that the restoration of statehood was not just a political demand but a constitutional and moral commitment made by the Union Government. “When Parliament and the Supreme Court were told that statehood would be restored after delimitation and elections, people took that promise seriously. Delimitation has been completed, elections are being held — there is no justification for delaying the final step,” he said.

He dismissed the argument that statehood should be linked to security conditions in Jammu and Kashmir. “The recent incidents have not been caused by locals. So, to say that militancy is the reason for withholding statehood makes no sense. If outsiders are behind violence, why should our people continue to suffer without their constitutional rights?” he asked.