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{{Short description|Unicameral legislature of the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2018}}
{{Infobox legislature
| name = Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly
| native_name =
| coa_pic = Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly emblem.png
| coa_res = 300px
| foundation = 1957 by Monarchy Commission, Presidential Commission.
| preceded_by = [[Constituent Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir|Jammu and Kashmir Constituent Assembly]]
| house_type = Unicameral
| term_limits = 5 years
| leader2_type = [[List of speakers of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly|Speaker]]
| established = Presidential Commission / Monarchy Commission
| leader2 = [[Abdul Rahim Rather (born 1944)|Abdul Rahim Rather]]|
| party2 = [[Jammu & Kashmir National Conference|JKNC]]
| election2 = 4 November 2024
| leader3_type = Deputy Speaker
| leader3 = ''Vacant''
| party3 =
| election3 =
| leader4_type = [[List of Chief Ministers of Jammu and Kashmir|Chief Minister]] <br /> (Leader of the House)
| leader4 = [[Omar Abdullah]]
| party4 = [[Jammu & Kashmir National Conference|JKNC]]
| election4 = 16 October 2024
| leader5_type = [[List of deputy chief ministers of Jammu and Kashmir|Deputy Chief Minister]]<br/>(Deputy Leader of the House)
| leader5 = [[Surinder Kumar Choudhary]]
| party5 = [[Jammu & Kashmir National Conference|JKNC]]
| election5 = 16 October 2024
| leader6_type = Leader of the Opposition
| leader6 = [[Sunil Kumar Sharma (Jammu and Kashmir)|Sunil Kumar Sharma]]
| party6 = [[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP]]
| election6 = 3 November 2024
| leader7_type = Deputy Leaders of the Opposition
| leader7 = [[Surjeet Singh Slathia]], [[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP]]<br>[[Pawan Kumar Gupta]]
| party7 = [[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP]]
| election7 = 2 June 2025
| leader9_type = Chief Whip
| leader8 =
| party8 =
| leader8_type = Minister of Parliamentary Affairs
| leader9 = [[Mubarak Gul]]
| leader1_type = [[Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir|Lieutenant Governor]]
| leader1 = [[Manoj Sinha]]
| party1 =
| election1 = 7 August 2020
| members = '''90+5''' (5 nominated by LG)
| structure1 = {{Switcher|[[File:India Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly 2025.svg|300px]]|Partywise|[[File:India Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Alliance Wise 2025.svg|300px]]|Alliance wise}}
| structure1_res = 300px
| political_groups1 = 
'''[[Government of Jammu and Kashmir|Government]] (52)'''
:*{{Color box|{{Party color|Jammu & Kashmir National Conference}}}} [[Jammu & Kashmir National Conference|JKNC]] (41)
:*{{Color box|{{Party color|Indian National Congress}}}} [[Indian National Congress|INC]] (6)
:*{{Color box|{{Party color|Communist Party of India (Marxist)}}}} [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)|CPI(M)]] (1)
:*{{Color box|{{Party color|Independent politician}}}} [[Independent politician|IND]] (4)

'''Official Opposition (29)'''
:*{{Color box|{{Party color|Bharatiya Janata Party}}}} [[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP]] (29)

'''[[Parliamentary opposition|Other Opposition]] (9)'''
:*{{Color box|{{Party color|Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party}}}} [[Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party|JKPDP]] (4)
:*{{Color box|{{Party color|Independent politician}}}} [[Independent politician|IND]] (2)
:*{{Color box|{{Party color|Aam Aadmi Party}}}} [[Aam Aadmi Party|AAP]] (1)<ref>{{cite web | title=AAP's lone MLA Mehraj Malik withdraws support from National Conference govt in J&K | date=15 June 2025 | url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/aaps-lone-mla-mehraj-malik-withdraws-support-from-national-conference-govt-in-jk-101749956718583-amp.html }}</ref>
:*{{Color box|{{Party color|Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference}}}} [[Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference|JKPC]] (1)
:*{{Color box|#106031}} [[Jammu and Kashmir Awami Ittehad Party|JKAIP]] (1)
| voting_system1 = [[First-past-the-post voting|First past the post]]
| last_election1 = [[2024 Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly election|18 September 2024 to 1 October 2024]]
| next_election1 = [[Next Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly election| September-October 2029]]
| website = {{URL|https://jkla.neva.gov.in/}}
| session_room = The Speaker, Lok Sabha, Smt. Meira Kumar addressing the Conference of Presiding Officers of Legislative Bodies in India, at Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir on June 20, 2010.jpg
| session_res = 250px
| meeting_place = Legislative Assembly, [[Srinagar]] (Summer session)
| session_room2 =
| session_res2 = 250px
| session_alt2 =
| meeting_place2 = Legislative Assembly, [[Jammu]] (Winter session)
| legislature = [[13th Jammu and Kashmir Assembly]]
}}

The '''Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly''' is the unicameral legislature of Indian union territory of [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]]. Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly is the legislative arm of the [[Government of Jammu and Kashmir]]. At present, it consists of 95 [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|members]], directly elected from [[List of constituencies of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly|95 constituencies]]. The tenure of the Legislative Assembly is five years unless dissolved sooner.

Prior to 2019, the [[State of Jammu and Kashmir]] had a bicameral legislature with a legislative assembly (lower house) and a legislative council (upper house). The [[Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019|Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act]], passed by the [[Parliament of India]] in August 2019, replaced this with a unicameral legislature while also re-organising the state into a [[union territory]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=2018-11-21 |title=Amid contrasting claims, J&K Governor dissolves Assembly |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/amid-contrasting-claims-jk-governor-dissolves-assembly/article62023896.ece |access-date=2022-02-28 |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> The current 13th assembly was elected in September and October 2024.

==History==
===Praja Sabha===
The first legislature of the [[Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)|princely state of Jammu and Kashmir]], called the ''Praja Sabha'', was established by the government of the [[Maharaja of Kashmir|Maharaja]] [[Hari Singh]] in 1934.<ref name="B">{{Cite web|title=Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly|url=http://legislativebodiesinindia.gov.in/States/J&K/j&k-la-w.html|publisher=National Informatics Centre|access-date=29 August 2010}}{{Dead link|date=January 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> It had 33 elected seats, 30 nominated members and 12 ''ex-officio'' members.<ref>{{citation |first=Mridu |last=Rai |title=Hindu Rulers, Muslim Subjects: Islam, Rights, and the History of Kashmir | publisher=C. Hurst & Co |year=2004 |isbn=1850656614 |page=274}}</ref>

The [[1934 Jammu and Kashmir Praja Sabha election|first election in 1934]] saw the Liberal Group headed by Pandit Ram Chander Dubey emerge as the largest party and the [[Jammu & Kashmir National Conference|Muslim Conference]] as the second largest (with 14 seats).<ref>{{citation |last=Copland |first=Ian |title=Islam and Political Mobilization in Kashmir, 1931-34 |journal=Pacific Affairs |volume=54 |number=2 |date=1981 |pages=228–259 |doi=10.2307/2757363 |jstor=2757363}}</ref> Further elections were held in 1938 and 1947.

In 1939, the Muslim Conference party renamed itself to [[Jammu & Kashmir National Conference|National Conference]] under the leadership of [[Sheikh Abdullah]] and opened its membership to people of all religions. It launched a [[Quit Kashmir]] movement in 1946 and boycotted the 1947 election.<ref>{{citation |last=Choudhary |first=Dipti |chapter=The Constitutional Development in the State of Jammu and Kashmir |title=State autonomy under indian constitution a study with reference to the state of jammu and kashmir |date=19 January 2024 |publisher=Kurukhsetra University/Shodhganga |hdl=10603/32675 |chapter-url=http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/32675/7/07_chapter%203.pdf |url=http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/32675/ |pages=60, 69}}</ref>

===Post-accession===
After the accession of the [[princely state]] of [[Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)|Jammu and Kashmir]] to the Union of India in 1947, the Maharaja ceded powers to a popular government headed by Sheikh Abdullah. [[1951 Jammu and Kashmir Constituent Assembly election|Elections]] for a [[Constituent Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir|constituent assembly]] were held in 1951, in which Abdullah's National Conference won all 75 seats.

In 1957, a new constitution was adopted by the constituent assembly, which established a [[bicameral]] legislature consisting of an upper house, the [[Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Council]] and a lower house, the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir |url=https://jkdat.nic.in/pdf/Rules-Costitution-of-J%26K.pdf |access-date=10 July 2022 |archive-date=1 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231201141501/https://jkdat.nic.in/pdf/Rules-Costitution-of-J%26K.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Wali Mohammad Itoo]] of the National Conference was speaker of the assembly between 7 July 1983 and 31 July 1984.<ref name="Malhotra">{{cite book |title=Cabinet Responsibility to Legislature: Motions of Confidence and No-confidence in Lok Sabha and State Legislatures |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DFqbAAAAMAAJ |pages=430–431 |date=2004 |last=Malhotra |first=G. C. |publisher=Lok Sabha Secretariat |location=New Delhi |isbn=978-8-1200-0400-9}}</ref>

=== Union Territory (with legislation) ===
In 2019, [[Article 370 of the Constitution of India]], which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, was [[Revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir|abrogated]]<ref>{{Cite news |agency=PTI |date=2019-08-07 |title=President declares abrogation of provisions of Article 370 |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/president-declares-abrogation-of-provisions-of-article-370/article28842850.ece |access-date=2022-06-27 |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> and [[The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019|Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act]] was passed to reconstitute the state of [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir]] into union territories of [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]] and [[Ladakh]] with effect from 31 October 2019.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=2019-08-09 |title=President Kovind gives assent to J&K Reorganisation Bill, two new UTs to come into effect from Oct 31 |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/president-ram-nath-kovind-gives-assent-to-jk-reorganisation-bill-two-new-uts-come-into-effect-5892839/ |access-date=2022-06-27 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref> The union territory of Jammu and Kashmir has a [[unicameral]] Legislative Assembly. The [[Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Council]] was formally abolished on 31 October 2019.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/jk-administration-orders-abolition-of-legislative-council-asks-its-staff-to-report-to-gad/1738394/|title=J&K administration orders abolition of legislative council, asks its staff to report to GAD |date=17 October 2019 |access-date=5 February 2021 |agency=PTI |newspaper=Financial express}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://jkgad.nic.in/common/showOrder.aspx?actCode=O32993 |title=Abolition of Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Council in terms of Section 57 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019 |format=pdf |website=jkgad.nic.in |access-date=5 February 2021 }}</ref>

In March 2020, a three-member Delimitation Commission was formed, chaired by retired Justice [[Ranjana Desai|Ranjana Prakash Desai]], for the delimitation of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.<ref name=dComissionFormed>{{cite web |url=https://old.eci.gov.in/files/file/12211-delimitation-of-constituencies-in-jammu-kashmir-assamarunachal-pradesh-manipur-and-nagaland-notification-dated-06032020/ |title=Delimitation of Constituencies in Jammu-Kashmir, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Nagaland - Notification dated 06.03.2020 - Delimitation |work=Election Commission of India |accessdate= 5 February 2021}}</ref> The commission published its interim report in February 2022.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|date=2022-02-05|title=Many seats redrawn in J&K delimitation draft|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/many-seats-redrawn-in-jk-delimitation-draft/article38382773.ece|access-date=2022-02-11|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> The final delimitation report was released on 5 May 2022<ref name="The Hindu">{{Cite news |date=2022-05-09 |title=The Jammu and Kashmir Delimitation report |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/the-jammu-and-kashmir-delimitation-report/article65394233.ece |access-date=2022-05-16 |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> and it came into force from 20 May 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-05-21 |title=Orders of J&K Delimitation Commission take effect |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/orders-of-j-k-delimitation-commission-take-effect-101653071632723.html |access-date=2022-05-21 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en}}</ref>

The first elections to the reconstituted assembly with 90 elected seats were held in September 2024.

==Composition==
===Initial Composition===
The Legislative Assembly was initially composed of 100 members, later increased to 111 by the then [[Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir]] (Twentieth Amendment) Act of 1988.<ref name=":1" /> Of these, 24 seats were designated for the territorial constituencies of the state that came under Pakistani control in 1947.<ref name=":1" /> These seats remained officially vacant as per section 48 of the then state constitution and now also in The Constitution of India.<ref name=":1" /> These seats were not taken into account for reckoning the total membership of the assembly, especially for deciding [[quorum]] and voting majorities for legislation and government formation.<ref name=":1" /> Hence the total contestable and filled seats of the assembly were 87 seats. The [[Kashmir Valley]] region had 46 seats, the [[Jammu Division|Jammu region]] had 37 seats, and [[Ladakh]] region had 4 seats.

===State Reorganisation and Delimitation===
[[The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019|Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act]] was passed to reconstitute the state of [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir]] into union territories of [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]] and [[Ladakh]].<ref name=":3" /> In March 2020, Delimitation Commission was formed for the delimitation of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir prior to the [[2024 Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly election|2024 Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly election]].<ref name="dComissionFormed" /> The delimitation report added additional 6 seats to the [[Jammu division]] and 1 seat to [[Kashmir division]]. After delimitation, the total seats in the assembly rose to a total of 119 seats with 114 elected seats, out of which 24 seats are designated for areas that fall under [[Azad Kashmir|Pakistan-administered Kashmir]] and 5 seats are to be nominated by the Lt. Governor of UT. Out of the remaining 90 seats, 43 seats are in Jammu division and 47 seats are in the Kashmir division. With this, hindu majority Jammu with a population of 53 lakh (43% of the total population of 1.22 crore) will have 47% seats, while muslim majority Kashmir which has a population of 68 lakh (56%) will have 52% of the seats.<ref name="The Hindu"/>

==== Reservation for SC/STs ====
The parliament passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill 2023 which provides for reservation of 7 seats for the Scheduled Castes and 9 seats for the Scheduled Tribes.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-12-12 |title=Parliament passes J-K Reservation, J-K Reorganisation (Amendment) Bills |work=The Economic Times |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/parliament-passes-j-k-reservation-j-k-reorganisation-amendment-bills/articleshow/105910015.cms?val=3728&from=mdr |access-date=2023-12-12 |issn=0013-0389}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-12-11 |title=Rajya Sabha passes J&K Bills on reservation, Assembly representation |url=https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/india/rajya-sabha-passes-amendment-bills-for-reservation-in-jk-increasing-assembly-strength-11888191.html |access-date=2023-12-12 |website=Moneycontrol |language=en}}</ref>

===Provisions for Nominated Members===
[[Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act]], 2019 provides for nomination of 2 members to the Legislative Assembly by the [[Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir|Lieutenant Governor]] if women are not adequately represented in the house.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-03-14 |title=What is the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2019? |url=https://www.jagranjosh.com/general-knowledge/jammu-and-kashmir-reorganisation-bill-2019-1566908022-1 |access-date=2023-12-12 |website=Jagranjosh.com |language=en}}</ref> Following amendment to the Act in 2023, the Lieutenant Governor may also nominate two representatives of Kashmiri migrant families (one seat reserved for woman) and one member to represent the migrants from [[Azad Kashmir|Pakistan-administered Kashmir]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-12-11 |title=Parliament passes J-K reservation and reorganisation amendment bills: Know all about them |url=https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india/parliament-passes-jammu-and-kashmir-reservation-and-reorganisation-amendment-bills-amit-shah-in-rajya-sabha-lok-sabha-2023-12-11-906874 |access-date=2023-12-12 |website=www.indiatvnews.com |language=en}}</ref> presently making the total number of nominated members maximum five.

==Tenure and functions==
Members of the Legislative Assembly were elected for a six-year term up to 2019 and five-year term thereafter. The seats are filled by [[direct election]] from single member constituencies using the [[first past the post]] method. The assembly may be dissolved before the completion of the full term by the Lieutenant Governor upon the advice of the [[List of Chief Ministers of Jammu and Kashmir|Chief Minister]]. The Lieutenant Governor may also convene [[special session]]s of the legislative assembly.

==Membership by party==
{{see also|2024 Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly election}}
The membership of the [[13th Jammu and Kashmir Assembly]] by party is as follows:

{| class="wikitable"
! colspan=2| Party !! MLAs!!Leader
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Jammu & Kashmir National Conference}} || align=center|41<ref name="kashmirlife.net">{{cite web | url=https://kashmirlife.net/omar-thanks-nc-mlas-for-electing-him-leader-of-legislature-party-369089/ | title=Omar Thanks NC MLAs for Electing Him Leader of Legislature Party | date=10 October 2024 }}</ref>
|[[Omar Abdullah]]
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Bharatiya Janata Party}} || align=center|29
|[[Sunil Kumar Sharma (Jammu and Kashmir)|Sunil Kumar Sharma]]
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Indian National Congress}} || align=center|6
|[[Ghulam Ahmad Mir]]
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party}} || align=center|4
|[[Waheed Para]]
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference}} || align=center|1
|[[Sajjad Gani Lone]]
|-
| {{Party color cell|Green}}
|[[Jammu and Kashmir Awami Ittehad Party| AIP]]
|align=center|1
|[[Khursheed Ahmed Sheikh]]
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Communist Party of India (Marxist)}} || align=center|1
|[[Mohammed Yousuf Tarigami]]
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Aam Aadmi Party}} || align=center|1
|[[Mehraj Malik]]
|-
| {{Party color cell|Independent politician}}
|[[Independent politician|IND]]
| align=center|6
|-
! colspan=2|Total !! 90
|}

==Members==
===Office bearers===

Source:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Home {{!}} Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly |url=http://jkla.neva.gov.in/ |access-date=2022-07-13 |website=jkla.neva.gov.in |archive-date=5 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220705033342/http://jkla.neva.gov.in/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!Office
!Holder
!Since
|-
|Speaker
|[[Abdul Rahim Rather (born 1944)|Abdul Rahim Rather]]
|4 November 2024
|-
|[[List of chief ministers of Jammu and Kashmir|Chief Minister]] (Leader of the House)
|[[Omar Abdullah]]<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.oneindia.com/india/nc-legislators-thumbs-up-omar-abdullah-for-j-k-chief-minister-011-3958009.html | title=NC Legislators Thumbs up Omar Abdullah for J&K Chief Minister | date=11 October 2024 }}</ref>
|16 October 2024
|-
|[[List of deputy chief ministers of Jammu and Kashmir|Deputy Chief Minister]]<br /> (Deputy Leader of the House)
|[[Surinder Kumar Choudhary]]
|16 October 2024
|-
|[[List of current Indian opposition leaders#Legislatures of the States and Union territories|Leader of the Opposition]]
|[[Sunil Kumar Sharma (Jammu and Kashmir)|Sunil Kumar Sharma]]
|3 November 2024
|-
|Secretary
|Manoj Kumar Pandit<ref>{{cite web | url=https://jkla.neva.gov.in/Member/SecDetails/3 | title=Details }}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
|31 October 2022
|}

=== Members of Legislative Assembly (MLA) ===
{{transcluded section|source=13th Jammu and Kashmir Assembly}}
{{#section-h:13th Jammu and Kashmir Assembly|Members of Legislative Assembly (MLA)}}

==List of Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Opposition leaders needed to list==
{{notelist}}

== See also ==
* [[Elections in Jammu and Kashmir]]
* [[List of constituencies of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly]]
* [[Government of Jammu and Kashmir]]
* [[List of chief ministers of Jammu and Kashmir]]
* [[List of deputy chief ministers of Jammu and Kashmir]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.mapsofindia.com/assemblypolls/jammu-kashmir/ Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections 2014], mapsofindia.com

{{Jammu and Kashmir elections}}
{{Assembly constituencies of Jammu and Kashmir}}
{{Legislatures of India}}
{{Current Indian assemblies}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord missing|Jammu and Kashmir}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jammu And Kashmir Legislative Assembly}}
[[Category:Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly| ]]
[[Category:Politics of Jammu and Kashmir]]
[[Category:State lower houses in India]]

Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly - Revision history

CaitlinBecker07 at 04:52, 11 March 2026