Early Times Report SRINAGAR, July 27: A meeting of Jammu and Kashmir's opposition parties next month to discuss several issues concerning the Union Territory, including the delegation of more powers to the lieutenant governor, was postponed on Saturday, senior CPI(M) leader MY Tarigami said. No fresh date for the meeting, originally scheduled for August 7, has been finalised. Tarigami said the meeting was postponed after National Conference president Farooq Abdullah expressed his inability to attend the meeting. "National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah expressed his inability to attend the meeting scheduled for August 7 in Jammu and suggested its postponement. As such, this meeting is postponed," Tarigami said. The meeting was called to discuss issues concerning Jammu and Kashmir, including the amendments to the Transaction of Business of the Government of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir Rules, 2019. The amendments delegate more powers to the lieutenant governor on matters related to decisions on police, officers of all-India services such as the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and the Indian Police Service (IPS), and sanctioning prosecution in various cases. All political parties, except the BJP, have criticised the amendments. |