Jammu, 23 October (H.S.): Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Mehraj Malik on Friday demanded that panchayat and other local elections be held without making them conditional on statehood restoration, while questioning the narrative surrounding the abrogation of Article 370.

Malik's remarks came as Abdullah has been countering demands to hold local body elections by drawing parallel with the Centre's delayed timeline on restoring statehood.

He also criticised the proposed Cabinet expansion and attacked the National Conference-led government over what he described as unfulfilled promises, lack of progress in education and healthcare, unemployment and inadequate compensation for frontline workers, including Special Police Officers (SPOs) and school cooks.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Krishan Kumar