J&K: Ahead Of Bifurcation, Govt Orders Abolition Of Legislative Council; Asks Staff To Report To General Department

The Jammu and Kashmir Administration on Wednesday (16 October) night issued an order for the abolition of the 62-year-old state legislative council and has asked its 116-member staff to report to the general administration department (GAD), reports Times of India.

The order comes around two weeks ahead of the bifurcation of the state into two union territories - Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir - on the midnight of 31 October.

While the Jammu and Kashmir will be a union territory with a legislative assembly, Ladakh will be a UT without the legislature.

"Consequent to the abolition of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Council in terms of Section 57 of Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019, it is ordered that all the staff of the state legislative council shall report to the GAD by October 22," the order said.

The order issued by secretary to the state government, Farooq Ahmad Lone, also directed transfer of all vehicle purchased from time to time to the director state motor garages.

Besides, the order also directed the secretary, Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Council to handover building of Legislative Council alongwith furniture and electronic gadgets to the Director Estates.

All records pertaining to the Council Secretariat including related legislative business shall be transferred to the Department of Law, Justice Parliamentary Affairs by the secretary, the order added.

As per the report, the 36-member state council, set up in 1957 after passage of an act by the Parliament, functioned as the upper house for the 87-member state legislative assembly.