*”Speaker Rather Sets the Record Straight: No Rejection of July 13th Holiday Resolution”*

Srinagar, July 12: Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather has denied claims made by People’s Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti on social media regarding the rejection of a resolution declaring July 13th as an official holiday.

According to Speaker Rather, the resolution submitted by MLA Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra was admitted during the Budget Session 2025-26 in March. However, it did not secure a place during the balloting process, which determined the relative precedence of private members’ resolutions.

Rather clarified that the Assembly Secretariat received 111 resolutions from 34 MLAs, out of which 87 were admitted for balloting. The resolution in question was among the admitted ones, but its failure to secure a place in the balloting process meant it was not listed for discussion.

The Speaker emphasized that his office is committed to impartiality and that the process was completed as per the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the J&K Legislative Assembly. Rather’s statement aims to set the record straight and counter Mehbooba Mufti’s claims, which he described as misleading and not based on facts.