J&K Cabinet Approves Business Rules, Awaits LG’s Nod for Final Notification
Jammu, 05-03-2025: The Jammu and Kashmir Cabinet has approved the long-awaited amendments to the Business Rules, marking a significant step in defining the powers and responsibilities of the Chief Minister, the Cabinet, Ministers, and Administrative Secretaries. The rules, finalized by a high-level government committee, will now be forwarded to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha for formal approval and subsequent notification.
The Cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah at his residence, lasted for about an hour and granted approval to the revised Business Rules, which had been pending for over four and a half months. Omar Abdullah, who took oath as Chief Minister on October 16, 2024, along with five Cabinet Ministers, has been leading the first political government in Jammu and Kashmir since its transition to a Union Territory on August 5, 2019. The amendments were deemed essential to align governance with the new administrative framework following the region’s reorganization.
The updated Business Rules clearly define the roles and decision-making authority within the government. While the powers of the Lieutenant Governor, particularly concerning law and order, public order, and All India Services, remain unchanged, the amendments provide clarity on the operational jurisdiction of the Chief Minister, the Council of Ministers, and Administrative Secretaries. Under the Jammu & Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019, the Lieutenant Governor retains the authority to notify these rules based on the advice of the Council of Ministers.
Following the reorganization, the Union Home Ministry had initially issued business rules for the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory on August 27, 2020, under Section 55 of the J&K Reorganization Act, 2019. These rules were formulated in conjunction with the Proclamation issued on October 31, 2019, under Section 73 of the Act. The latest amendments further refine the governance structure, ensuring a more defined and systematic allocation of responsibilities among the Chief Minister and Cabinet Ministers, thus streamlining the administrative functioning of the newly formed political government in Jammu and Kashmir.
