Chaos in J-K Assembly: Three-Hour Adjournment Amid Waqf Act Uproar

The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly faced yet another disruption on Wednesday, leading to a three-hour adjournment as lawmakers clashed for the third straight day over the contentious Waqf Act issue. The session, held in Jammu, was thrown into disarray as members of the ruling National Conference (NC) and their allies demanded a debate on the matter, only to be met with resistance from the opposition.

Wednesday marked the final day of the Budget Session, which kicked off on March 3, according to the updated legislative schedule. The assembly has been plagued by turmoil since Monday, when Speaker Abdul Rahim Lather rejected an adjournment motion proposed by NC members and their coalition partners. That decision followed a 12-day recess and triggered full-day adjournments on both Monday and Tuesday.

Tensions flared again Wednesday morning as NC legislators stormed the Well of the House, insisting on a discussion. They were soon joined by opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members, led by Leader of the Opposition Sunil Sharma, who marched into the Well amid dueling chants from both sides. Several lawmakers escalated the protest by staging a sit-in, further intensifying the standoff.

Unable to restore order amid the chaos, Speaker Lather suspended proceedings until 1 p.m. The repeated disruptions underscore the deepening divide over the Waqf Act, casting a shadow over the session’s close.