Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir G C Murmu. (File Photo)

Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir G C Murmu, along with several top bureaucrats of the Union Territory, met with Home Minister Amit Shah and Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla on Wednesday and discussed “development issues” associated with the region.

The meeting holds significance, coming in the backdrop of discomfort in both Jammu and the Valley over the government’s domicile policy. It also comes amid various speculations over stocking of LPG cylinders in the region and the pending delimitation of its Assembly constituencies.

Besides Murmu, J&K’s Chief Secretary B V R Subrahmanyam, Law Secretary Achal Sethi and Principal Secretary (Power) Rohit Kansal, among others, took part in the meeting. The officials were first hosted by Additional Secretary (Kashmir division) Gyanesh Kumar, who had over an hour-long meeting with them. This was followed by a meeting with Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla. After this, Murmu met Shah. The series of meetings began around 4 pm and ended at 8.30 pm.

Asked about the agenda after the meeting. Murmu said, “It was related to development projects in Jammu and Kashmir.”

With the J&K administration having begun providing domicile certificates to outsiders who fulfil certain conditions, including a minimum time spent in the UT, voices of discontent have emerged from various quarters of the society. Former J&K chief minister and National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah has been quoted having called the domicile law “illegal and unconstitutional”.

A recent communication by the Director, Food Civil Supplies & Consumers Affairs Department in J&K asking oil companies to stock up on LPG cylinders has led to concern in the Valley. The department, however, has said the order was issued to prevent a shortfall of “essential commodities” and maintained that “some people are spreading false information”.