Jammu: As members of the ruling NC-led coalition including Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary joined the demand for a discussion on the Waqf Amendment Act, Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather on Tuesday said he had decided to disallow it in line with the rules and will not change his ruling.
Asked about the no-confidence motion moved by three opposition legislators led by Peoples Conference leader Sajad Gani Lone, Rather told reporters they are welcome to bring it before the House, which will decide.
“What is the problem? They have this right and the House will decide its fate. If the House has no confidence, then I have no right to be there,” the Speaker said.
He advised the protesting members of the ruling National Conference-led alliance and opposition PDP and Peoples Conference besides some independents to allow the smooth functioning of the House in the larger interest of the public.
The Speaker adjourned the House for the second straight day amid pandemonium as members demanded a discussion on the Waqf Amendment Act and protested against his decision to disallow notices of adjournment motions.
On Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary and other ministers joining the protesting members in pressing for a discussion on the Act, he said it did not matter to him who was raising the demand.
“Whether it is the government, minister, opposition members or somebody else, I have to weigh the statement as per the rules to take a call. If the rules do not allow it, it hardly matters to me who is making the statement. I have made a decision after going through the rules and I will not change my decision,” Rather said.
The Speaker disallowed two notices of adjournment motions from nine members regarding discussion on the Waqf Amendment Act, citing that the matter is sub-judice.
“The matter has been challenged before the Supreme Court, so the notices cannot be admitted because as per rule 58(vii) (which states that) the motion shall not deal with any matter which is under adjudication by a court of law having jurisdiction in any part of India,” the Speaker told the House on Monday, drawing protests from members.
Some members objected to this decision of the Speaker stating that the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly has passed a resolution against the proposed Waqf Bill and the House should act accordingly.
In response to this, the Speaker informed the House that the matter was not sub-judice at that point.
When the House met again this morning, several members from the ruling and opposition members, barring the BJP, again raised the issue.
“If they are not allowing the House to work, it is their own loss and the loss of the public because the last three days (of the budget session) were meant for private members resolutions and bills and eight each calling attention motions (Monday and Tuesday) besides 40 to 50 questions of public importance,” he said.
The Speaker said the legislators should work for the purpose for which they have been sent to the Assembly by the people.
“People have high hopes from us and we should try to fulfill their aspirations. After my ruling (Monday), they should have accepted it. I am there because of their confidence, and if they are not accepting (my ruling), it is their loss and the loss of the public,” he said.
The Speaker said some members on Tuesday said that the Supreme Court is yet to serve the notices in the Waqf issue and hence the House can discuss the issue and pass a resolution.
However, he said Rule 58 (ix) clearly states that the Assembly has no domain over legislation passed in Parliament. “The law can be revoked only by Parliament or the judiciary.”
NC rules out support to no-confidence motion against Speaker
The ruling National Conference (NC) on Tuesday said that it would not support the no-confidence motion brought by Kashmir-based opposition parties against Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather.
Speaking to reporters after the Speaker adjourned the Legislative Assembly, NC MLA Salman Sagar, as per news agency KNO said that they would not support the no-confidence motion against the Speaker. “No, not at all,” when asked if the party would back the no-confidence motion against the Speaker.
The motion was submitted by them in response to the Speaker’s refusal to allow discussions on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2025.
3 opposition MLAs move no-confidence motion against Assembly Speaker
Three opposition legislators led by People’s Conference leader Sajad Gani Lone on Tuesday presented a no-confidence motion against Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather.
Lone alleged that the Speaker had become an “impediment” in voicing their opinion against the Waqf (Amendment) Act in the Assembly.
The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly witnessed pandemonium for the second straight day on the issue, prompting the Speaker to adjourn the House initially for 30 minutes shortly after the start of the day’s business. The House was later adjourned till 1 pm.
On Monday when the House assembled after a 12-day recess, it descended into chaos with religious and jingoistic sloganeering after the Speaker rejected an adjournment motion, moved by the ruling National Conference members, to discuss the Waqf (Amendment) Act, saying the matter was sub-judice.
“In accordance with Rule 215(A) of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly, we hereby submit this notice of our intention to move a resolution for the removal of the Speaker of the Assembly.
“This decision stems from widespread outrage within the House over the Speaker’s actions, including the rejection of discussions on an adjournment motion and the refusal to entertain a resolution brought forward by opposition parties. Such conduct undermines the democratic principles and procedures governing this esteemed institution, prompting this resolution to address the matter,” Lone, MLA from Handwara, said in a letter addressed to the Secretary of the Assembly.
PDP legislators Fayaz Ahmad Mir (Kupwara) and Rafiq Ahmad Naik (Tral) are the other two signatories of the letter.
“We have presented a no-confidence motion against the Speaker. He has become an impediment in voicing our opinion against the Waqf bill,” Lone said in a post on X, also making the letter public.
Talking to reporters outside the Assembly, Lone requested protesting National Conference members to support the motion against the Speaker.
“We appeal to NC members to support the motion. If they don’t (support), they will be exposed. How can it be tangible that a National Conference legislator who is the Speaker disallows the adjournment motion and other members of the party are protesting? The whole world is watching this drama,” Lone said.
He said they are not saying “we are going to change the law but at least we can register our protest on behalf of the only Muslim-majority region of the country.”
