NC MPs Press Amit Shah on Statehood, Prisoner Transfers and Governance Gaps

• From Prisoner Rights to Statehood, NC Raises Key J&K Issues with Union Home Minister

Srinagar, Dec 16: Members of Parliament from the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference on Tuesday met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi and submitted a detailed memorandum highlighting a range of constitutional, humanitarian and administrative issues affecting the Union Territory.

The NC delegation, comprising Rajya Sabha members Chowdhary Mohammad Ramzan, Sajjad Ahmad Kitchloo and Gurwinder Singh Oberoi, sought the Home Minister’s intervention on what they described as pressing concerns that continue to cause hardship and uncertainty for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

A major focus of the memorandum was the humanitarian issue of prisoners from J&K lodged in jails outside the Union Territory. The MPs expressed deep concern over the prolonged suffering of families whose relatives are incarcerated far from home. They pointed out that thousands of mothers, children and elderly parents face emotional distress, financial strain and legal hurdles while trying to meet or pursue cases of their detained family members.

The delegation noted that in several cases prisoners continue to remain behind bars despite no serious charges having been established against them. Keeping such detainees in prisons outside J&K, they argued, effectively amounts to punishment rooted in poverty and distance rather than guilt. The MPs urged the Union Home Minister to review the policy of transferring prisoners outside the Union Territory and to consider the release or relocation of those against whom no grave charges stand proven. They stressed that citizens of Jammu and Kashmir deserve dignity, justice and compassion within the constitutional framework.

The second major issue raised during the meeting was the restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. The NC MPs reminded the Home Minister of repeated assurances given by both the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister regarding the early restoration of statehood. They also referred to the Supreme Court judgment of December 11, 2023, which acknowledged these assurances and underlined the completion of democratic processes, including elections, as a step toward restoring statehood.

The memorandum stated that with elections held and an elected government in place, the people of Jammu and Kashmir now expect the Centre to honour its commitments. The MPs conveyed that continued delay in restoring statehood is leading to democratic, administrative and emotional strain among the people, and called upon the government to outline clear, concrete and time-bound measures to fulfil its constitutional and judicial obligations.

The NC delegation also raised concerns over the non-notification of Business Rules, which define the functioning and distribution of authority within the administration. They pointed out that the absence of these rules has resulted in ambiguity, overlapping jurisdictions and uncertainty in governance. According to the MPs, this situation weakens the authority of elected representatives and adversely affects transparency and public accountability.

They urged the Union Home Minister to ensure that the Business Rules are notified at the earliest so that governance in Jammu and Kashmir can proceed smoothly, transparently and in line with democratic norms and constitutional propriety.

The memorandum concluded by underlining that addressing humanitarian concerns related to prisoners, restoring full statehood and putting clear administrative rules in place are essential steps toward rebuilding trust, dignity and democratic normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir. The NC MPs requested the Union Home Minister to give due consideration to these issues and take timely action in the larger interest of the people of the region.