Let Decorum Prevail

As the autumn session of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly gets underway, the public gaze once again turns toward its elected representatives, not merely for the laws they will debate, but for the manner in which they will conduct themselves. The people of Jammu and Kashmir, who have entrusted their faith in this restored democratic process, expect their lawmakers to rise above partisan theatrics and act in a spirit befitting the House’s dignity. The coming days promise heated debates. With Rajya Sabha elections, the restoration of statehood, and the reservation policy topping the agenda, the session is bound to be politically charged. That, however, need not translate into disorder. The Assembly is a forum for reasoned disagreement, not disruptive spectacle. Robust debate is the lifeblood of democracy, but it must be anchored in decorum and respect for the Chair and for differing viewpoints. Jammu and Kashmir’s political landscape has been through a long and testing phase, marked by suspension of democratic institutions, and an urgent desire among the people for stability and progress. This session is not just another round of legislative business, but a test of how far the state’s political culture has matured since the revival of its Assembly. Legislators would do well to remember that every word they utter, and every act they display inside the House, reverberates far beyond its walls. The government, too, bears an equal responsibility. Transparency, patience, and readiness to answer legitimate questions from the opposition will go a long way in restoring public faith. Opposition parties, on their part, must hold the government accountable through facts, not fury. The nation has seen too many legislatures reduced to shouting arenas, and Jammu & Kashmir’s Assembly has an opportunity to stand apart, to show that passionate debate can coexist with discipline. As proceedings gets underway, let this session set a tone of constructive engagement. The issues before the House, employment, governance, representation, and statehood, are too consequential to be lost in political noise. It is time our legislators remember that legislative privilege comes with public responsibility. The people are watching, and they deserve a House that reflects their hopes, not the frustrations.