Battle for attention: Jammu and Kashmir legislators turn to social media ahead of Budget session

Srinagar: As the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly’s first Budget session in seven years approaches, a new trend is emerging among the legislators: leveraging social media to post questions and raise issues ahead of time.

With the session just around the corner, lawmakers are using platforms like Twitter and Facebook to “test the waters” and gauge public response, positioning themselves as proactive representatives of their constituencies.

By February 10, the last date for submission, 82 out of 90 Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) had already submitted nearly 800 questions and 80 private members’ bills to the Speaker.

After submitting their queries, many lawmakers are taking to digital platforms to spark public discussions around their questions, fueling visibility and engagement. This social media push has resulted in a surge of online campaigns, spearheaded by politicians eager to shape the narrative.

“Even before stepping into the Assembly, legislators are trying to trigger debates in the virtual world. The battle for attention has already begun,” a political analyst commented.

Among the hot topics circulating on social media is the call for a liquor ban, an issue raised by both ruling National Conference (NC) and opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) legislators.

PDP MLA from Kupwara, Mir Mohammad Fayaz, posted the contents of his bill on his Facebook timeline, receiving positive feedback from citizens. “Nice step..I really appreciate your efforts for eradicating such practices in society which would be of great threat in near future,” responded one user, Naseer Masoodi.

NC MLA Ahsan Pardesi has taken the discussion a step further by tabling “The Lal Chowk Constituency Alcohol Sale Ban (Prohibition) Bill, 2025,” which seeks a region-specific ban on alcohol in Kashmir and Muslim-majority districts of Jammu.

Congress MLA Nizamuddin Bhat also weighed in, stating that the party views liquor as a social evil and would thoroughly assess the proposed prohibition bill once formally introduced in the Assembly.

As the Budget session draws nearer, it remains to be seen how this social media-driven strategy will impact the floor debates and the legislative agenda in the assembly.

The last Budget session of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly was held in January-February 2018. Following the collapse of the Mehbooba Mufti-led government in June 2018, after the BJP ended its alliance with the PDP, President’s and Governor’s rule were imposed followed by abrogation of special status and bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh in 2019.