“89% of committee chairmanships handed over to NC and its allies”
Jammu: Leader of Opposition Sunil Kumar Sharma on Friday said that the National Conference was peddling lies to justify the Speaker’s unjust and unfair actions. He reminded the ruling party that chairs of committees are decided in accordance with well‑established parliamentary conventions.
Reacting to National Conference claims that 62.5 percent of committee chairs have been allotted to the ruling party in Parliament and 37.5 percent to the opposition, Sharma said, in a statement issued to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO).
He said the NC was referring to the appointment of committee heads in 2024 but was twisting facts to shield the Speaker.
“The NC is conveniently hiding the fact that chairmanship of 62.5 percent of department‑related standing committees was allotted to the National Democratic Alliance (15 out of 24) and not only to BJP. 37.5 percent chairmanships were allotted to opposition parties (9 out of 24). If the principle of proportionate representation is applied to the J&K Assembly, three committee chairs should go to the BJP, five to the ruling parties, and one to independents if they are treated as a bloc, or to another opposition party,” he said.
He said the Speaker has allotted chairmanships of 89% of committees of the J&K Assembly to the ruling party and its allies in complete disregard of the representation of parties in the House.
He said the Speaker should go through the process of appointment of heads of such committees in Parliament.
“The chair of the Public Accounts Committee is always held by the opposition party and it has also been done in J&K, but the opposition has been ignored while appointing heads of six non‑financial committees,” he said. He said the Committee on Government Assurances is also currently helmed by the opposition in Parliament—(KNO)
