Srinagar, October 31, 2025 : Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday asserted that the absence of statehood cannot be used as an excuse for underperformance by the elected government in Jammu and Kashmir, emphasizing that the UT administration has all powers necessary to deliver effective governance.
Speaking at the J&K UT Foundation Day celebrations held at the SKICC in Srinagar, Sinha said Union Home Minister Amit Shah had made it clear in Parliament that the sequence of events would be delimitation first, Assembly elections second, and restoration of statehood at an appropriate time.
“Some people seem to have a problem with this. When the Assembly elections were held, it was evident that they were for the Union Territory Assembly,” Sinha said.
“The elected Government cannot make the excuse that work cannot be done until statehood is restored,” he added.
The Lieutenant Governor said the elected government has full administrative powers to function and must focus on people-centric governance and development rather than political rhetoric.
“People should not be misled under the pretext of statehood. The Government should use its authority to serve and uplift the lives of the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” Sinha asserted.
Sinha’s remarks come amid ongoing political debates over the restoration of statehood and future governance framework in the region. His statement reinforces the Centre’s stance that statehood will return, but developmental work cannot wait.
