New Delhi : Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Friday to discuss a range of critical issues concerning the Union Territory, with the early restoration of statehood being the primary focus.

The meeting, which was the first interaction between the two leaders since Mr. Abdullah’s protest in the national capital in July, saw the Chief Minister pressing for key governance reforms.

According to a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) the discussions centered on the restoration of statehood, the finalisation of the Transaction of Business Rules, and the rationalisation of reservations.

Taking the social media handle X @ office of Chief Minister read as, Chief Minister met Hon’ble Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah in New Delhi today and discussed key issues concerning Jammu & Kashmir. The meeting focused on restoration of Statehood, finalisation of the Transaction of Business Rules, rationalisation of reservations, and other important matters concerning public welfare and development.

The Chief Minister also briefed the Home Minister on the First International Film Festival of Jammu and Kashmir (IFFJK), scheduled to begin in Srinagar next week, and thanked him for the timely assistance being extended to J&K in the wake of flood-related damage across several areas.

The Transaction of Business Rules, which are pending approval, are crucial for defining the allocation of powers between the elected government and the Lieutenant Governor under the J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019.

The elected administration has been pushing for these rules to be finalized to streamline governance and minimize bureaucratic overlap.

Additionally, the rationalisation of the reservation policy was discussed as a measure to address public demands and ensure equitable opportunities.

The Chief Minister also briefed the Home Minister on the upcoming First International Film Festival of Jammu and Kashmir (IFFJK) scheduled to begin in Srinagar next week. He thanked Mr. Shah for the timely assistance being provided to J&K in the wake of flood related damage across several areas.

The demand for statehood has been a central political issue since the revocation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of the former state in August 2019. While the Centre has maintained that statehood will be restored at an “mappropriate time, the elected government has consistently highlighted administrative hurdles under the current UT framework.