Kupwara, July 20: In a letter that raises sharp constitutional and political concerns, sitting Kupwara MLA Mir Mohammad Fayaz has accused an advisor to the Chief Minister of “ultra-constitutional interference” in the affairs of his constituency.
In a communication addressed to the Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir, the MLA alleged that the advisor — a former political rival who lost the recent Assembly election to him — is “undermining the authority of an elected representative” by meddling in administrative and governance matters in Kupwara without any constitutional mandate.
“The institution of MLA is a consultative pillar of democratic governance, empowered directly by the people’s mandate,” Fayaz wrote in his letter. “The advisor in question has no constitutional status to bypass or override the electoral verdict of the people of Kupwara.”
Fayaz further stated that the advisor has been summoning government officials, attending meetings meant for elected lawmakers, and influencing decisions related to the Kupwara constituency.
He called the advisor’s actions a “majoritarian assault on democracy” and accused the ruling party of trying to reverse the democratic outcome of the recent elections by “using bureaucratic backchannels”.
“He is a regular invitee to official meetings concerning Kupwara, where his inputs are entertained while mine are disregarded,” the letter stated.
Questioning the broader constitutional implications, Fayaz asked whether it is legally permissible for a ruling party to extend legislative privilege to a non-elected individual in order to diminish the authority of a lawfully elected MLA from the opposition.
“I formally object to his presence in official meetings and his interference in constituency matters until his constitutional role is clearly defined,” he wrote. (KDC)
