By: Sameer Bhasin

Cat is out of the bag. With speculations rife over the formation of state advisory council holding ministerial powers, the smog over the creation of Apni Party, allegedly with the support of the Centre, is getting cleaner as the picture behind gets clearer and sharper to view.
Even as Syed Altaf Bukhari, who heads the newly formed Apni Party, a couple of days back dismissed as rumours the speculations over his taking oath as the interim chief minister of JandK and termed it as ‘a good joke’, it is a common knowledge in political circles that a state advisory council is likely to be formed in Jammu and Kashmir union territory to be headed by Bukhari, the Apni Party chief and will have 10 to 12 senior leaders of the party as its members. The council will have ministerial powers to certain extent, it has been learned.
It has also been learned that Bukhari, who is presently under hectic negotiations with the centre over the formation of the council, is adamant upon seeking some changes in the newly introduced domicile act for JandK. According to the sources, Bukhari wants to have changes in certain provisions of the act to which the Centre is not agreeing upon.
However, certain political observers in Jammu are of the opinion that there is no legal provision for the formation of an interim government under any law in India. “The Government of Union Territories Act-1963 is not applicable to Jammu and Kashmir, these observers contest. On the other hand, another section of political observers opine that having reorganized the state into union territory through the concerned Reorganiation of J&K Act, and abrogation of Articles 370 and 35 A all the central laws become applicable here. They contest that formation of the UT was done by the reorganization act and after it gets formed the 1963 UT Act becomes applicable for all practical purposes.
Meanwhile, Zulfikar Chowdary, Usman Majid, Sunil Sharma and Vijay Bakaya are likely to be the other members of the council which will have all ministerial powers accept Home affairs.
It is also learned that Bukhari, who is presently at New Delhi, would be arriving in Kashmir valley in two-three days from now and will have a final consultation with the members of the party before formally announcing the names and designations they will hold in the council.
Even various district development boards too may get their new heads from among the members and leaders of the JKAP (Jammu Kashmir Apni Party).