JKPCC president Tariq Hameed Karra and senior party leaders. File photo
| Photo Credit: PTI

Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president Tariq Hameed Karra on Wednesday (May 28, 2025) said the dual control system in the Union Territory (UT) was “damaging the very spirit of democracy.”

Referring to the divided powers between the elected Chief Minister and the Lieutenant Governor, Mr. Karra, while speaking in Jammu, said, “this arrangement was unsustainable and undemocratic.” He said people were beginning to wonder if they voted “to find solutions or to face fresh troubles.”

“Their [the people of J&K’s] trust in the democratic process is hanging by a thread,” he added.

Pointing to “growing public cynicism,” Mr. Karra cautioned that the current dual power system “could further destabilize the political and administrative framework in Jammu and Kashmir.”

“This system is not just ineffective. It is damaging the very spirit of democracy. Unless full Statehood is restored, and elected representatives are empowered, the situation will only worsen,” the JKPCC chief asserted.

Mr. Karra said that issues such as the “cash crunch at the grassroots” and the “non-availability of constituency development funds meant for MLAs,” highlighted the need for “confidence-building initiatives.”

“People need a sense of stability, and the economy needs a lifeline. The government must act fast,” he added.

The Congress had contested the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections together with the National Conference (NC) in 2024. However, it has stayed away from the government so far and has been demanding the restoration of Statehood.