Srinagar, Nov 20: Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather will administer the oath to two newly elected MLAs on Friday morning, sources disclosed.
Sources said that the Speaker will administer the oath to Peoples Democratic Party’s Muntazir Mehdi and Bharatiya Janata Party’s Devyani Rana at 11:00 am in the Assembly complex.
As per section 24 of Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Act-2019, every member of the Legislative Assembly shall, before taking his seat, make and subscribe before the Lieutenant Governor of the said Union territory, or some person appointed in that behalf by him, an oath or affirmation according to the form set out for the purpose in the Fourth Schedule of this Act.
While Mehdi was elected from the Budgam Assembly segment, Devyani Rana won from Nagrota -a constituency earlier represented twice by her late father, Devinder Singh Rana.
Post abrogation of Article 370 and repeal of J&K Constitution, all MLAs have to be administered oath under the Constitution of India.
With the filling of these two vacancies, the strength of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly has risen to 90 members.
In the House, the National Conference holds 41 MLAs, the BJP 29, Congress six, PDP four, while the Peoples Conference, CPI (M) and Aam Aadmi Party have one MLA each. Besides, there are seven independent MLAs.
The Lieutenant Governor is also empowered to nominate five members to the Assembly -two women, two representatives of migrants, and one member representing refugees from Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir—(KNO)
