The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly witnessed chaos on Monday morning as opposition parties protested over the recently passed Waqf (Amendment) Bill, leading to a brief 15-minute adjournment.
As the House resumed after a week-long break, National Conference (NC) MLA Tanveer Sadiq attempted to raise an adjournment motion to discuss the Bill. He was supported by eight other MLAs from NC, Congress, and one Independent member.
However, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather rejected the motion, explaining that the Waqf Bill is currently being challenged in the Supreme Court, and therefore, cannot be taken up for debate in the Assembly.
The decision sparked immediate protests. Members from both the Opposition and Treasury benches stood up, raising slogans and creating noise, which made it difficult to proceed with the scheduled Question Hour.
The Speaker repeatedly urged members to maintain order, but the disruptions continued, forcing him to temporarily adjourn the session.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, passed by Parliament last week, has triggered political debate in Jammu and Kashmir, where Waqf boards play a key role in managing religious and charitable properties. Opposition parties are demanding state-level discussion, fearing the amendments could impact local control and transparency.
The Speaker has clarified that once the Supreme Court delivers its verdict, the House can consider the issue if necessary.
