Union Home Minister Amit Shah meets Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, in New Delhi on May 11, 2026. Photo: X/@HMOIndia/ANI
J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday (May 11, 2026) met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi, with “Statehood status still a part of the process”. Earlier in the day, Mr. Abdullah backed the Centre’s decision to grant the telecom powers to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.
The meeting between Mr. Shah and Mr. Abdullah assumed significance because of a long list of pending files submitted by the Union Territory (UT) government for final approval from the Centre.
Identifying the Statehood status as one of the pressing issues, Mr. Abdullah said, “I wish we had got Statehood in one meeting. Then we would have got it long ago. The process is going on, but whenever we meet, I always talk about Statehood,” said Mr. Abdullah.
A senior National Conference (NC) leader said the absence of Business Rules, which was to be framed as per the J&K Reorganisation Act 2019, was impacting the governance issues ever since an elected government came into being in J&K in 2024, after a gap of six years.
“There is no demarcation on the roles of the Chief Minister and the L-G regarding many departments, making it difficult for the Chief Minister to play his role and deliver on the governance issues,” said the NC leader, on the condition of anonymity.
The J&K government also awaited the final nod from the Centre on a three-member proposal forwarded to Lieutenant-Governor Manoj Sinha more than a year ago in April last year.The report was aimed at rationalising the existing reservation policy, which reduced the share of seats for ‘Open Merit’ applicants in government educational institutes and government departments to 30%.The Omar Abdullah government, after assuming power in October 2024, had set up a three-member subcommittee to study the reservation policy and suggest measures to increase the open category share to 50%.
The J&K government has also forwarded a file on nominating the new Advocate General (AG) for the UT. The Reorganisation Act mandated the elected government to send a proposal on the appointment of the AG but needs to be approved by the Lok Bhavan. J&K remains without an AG from 2024.
“There are many issues which are better discussed directly with the Home Minister,” said Mr. Abdullah, before leaving for Delhi.
Ahead of the meeting with Mr. Shah, the J&K Chief Minister backed enhanced powers of the L-G over the telecommunication sector in the UT.
“Telephone tapping, internet shutdowns or suspension of mobile services are linked to law and order and security, which are under the Home Department and the LG. So, these powers should remain with them,” said Mr. Abdullah.
Published – May 11, 2026 03:20 pm IST
