Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday withdrew a Bill proposing amendments to the law governing salaries and allowances of Members of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislature after BJP legislators opposed the measure in the Legislative Assembly.
The Bill, L.A. Bill No. 14 of 2026, was listed for consideration and passage during the ongoing Assembly session.
During the proceedings, BJP members opposed the proposed enhancement of legislators’ salaries and allowances and urged the government to focus instead on the regularisation of daily-wage workers.
Responding to the opposition, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said that although the government had the numbers to pass the legislation, he did not want to proceed with the Bill when members of the House had raised objections.
“I had the majority, but I will not pass it. I will withdraw it,” the Chief Minister said.
Omar Abdullah said the matter had emerged from the recommendations of the concerned committee and pointed out that BJP legislators had been part of the committee when the issue was discussed.
He said no objection had been raised by them at that stage, but the matter was being opposed after being brought before the House.
The Chief Minister further said he had anticipated that the issue could become political and had already decided that he would withdraw the Bill if even a single member opposed it.
“I was aware that they will politicise it, so I had made up my mind that if any member, even if it is one, opposes it, I will withdraw the Bill,” Omar said.
On the BJP’s demand for regularisation of daily wagers, the Chief Minister questioned why the issue had not been resolved during the period when the BJP-led administration was in power.
Omar said that before his government came to power in 2024, the previous administration had been in charge and questioned why daily wagers had not been regularised during that period.
The exchange led to a discussion between the treasury and opposition benches, with the BJP reiterating its demand for action on the issue of daily wagers.
When the Speaker put the motion for withdrawal of the Bill before the House, BJP members did not support the withdrawal motion. National Conference members were seen laughing during the proceedings.
The government subsequently withdrew L.A. Bill No. 14 of 2026, bringing the debate over the proposed enhancement of legislators’ salaries and allowances to an end.(KNC)