Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has reiterated that the restoration of full statehood remains the primary political objective for his government and the National Conference. Speaking on the issue, Abdullah stated that meaningful discussions on the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's former special status can only take place after the Union Territory regains statehood.
According to the Chief Minister, the National Conference continues to maintain its long-standing position on the constitutional and political rights of Jammu and Kashmir. However, he emphasized that restoring statehood is the immediate priority because it would provide the elected government with greater administrative authority and constitutional powers.
Abdullah said the party would continue engaging with the Central Government and press for the fulfillment of its stated commitment to restore statehood. He noted that the issue has remained a significant political concern since Jammu and Kashmir was reorganized into two Union Territories in August 2019 under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act.
The Chief Minister also remarked that he does not currently expect the Bharatiya Janata Party led Central Government to restore the region's previous special constitutional status. Nevertheless, he stated that the National Conference would continue to uphold its political resolution on the matter and pursue it through democratic and constitutional means.
Explaining his position, Abdullah said that effective governance requires a proper distribution of powers between the Centre and the elected state government. He argued that without statehood and the restoration of the State List, the scope of governance and decision making by an elected government remains limited.
The Chief Minister added that many important administrative and legislative responsibilities are linked to statehood. According to him, restoring statehood would strengthen democratic governance by enabling elected representatives to exercise broader constitutional powers in areas traditionally managed by state governments.
The National Conference has consistently maintained that the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's special constitutional position remains one of its political objectives. However, Abdullah indicated that the party considers statehood to be the first step before pursuing broader constitutional issues.
The Central Government has previously stated on several occasions that statehood would be restored to Jammu and Kashmir at an appropriate time after normalcy and the democratic process are strengthened. However, no official timeline has been announced for such a decision.
The question of Jammu and Kashmir's constitutional status continues to remain an important political issue, with different political parties expressing differing views on governance, federalism, and constitutional arrangements. These debates are expected to continue both within the region and at the national level.
Constitutional experts note that any changes relating to Jammu and Kashmir's legal or constitutional framework would require action through the appropriate legislative and constitutional processes. Political discussions on these matters are therefore expected to continue within democratic institutions.
The National Conference has stated that it will continue to raise the issue through constitutional means while seeking greater administrative powers for the elected government. The party has maintained that restoring statehood remains its immediate objective, with broader constitutional questions to be pursued thereafter.