J&K Government to Celebrate First “Samvidhan Diwas” After Accession to India

The Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) government issued instructions for the grand celebration of "Samvidhan Diwas" on November 26, marking the adoption of the Indian Constitution on this day in 1950. This year’s event will be historic, as it will be the first such commemoration since J&K's accession to India in 1947.

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha will lead the ceremony in Srinagar, where the Preamble of the Indian Constitution will be read by him and other ministers from the government of former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. However, Omar Abdullah will be absent from the event as he left on Monday for a pilgrimage to Mecca to perform Umrah.

On October 16, Omar Abdullah made history by becoming the first Chief Minister of J&K to swear allegiance to the Indian Constitution when taking the oath of office. Prior to this, J&K’s 17 previous Chief Ministers had taken their oaths on the state’s own constitution.

J&K had long operated under its own constitution and flag, with the head of government designated as the Prime Minister and the head of state as Sadr-e-Riyasat (president). These titles were replaced with Chief Minister and Governor in 1965. However, the state maintained its special status, including its constitution and flag, until the revocation of Article 370 in 2019, which led to the state’s bifurcation into two Union Territories, including Ladakh.