No decision yet on National Law University location: CM Omar

Jammu, Jan 12: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said that no decision has been taken yet about the location of the National Law University (NLU) to be set up in J&K.

Yet in the same breath, he questioned those raising demands to establish it in Jammu, asking why none raked up the discrimination bogey when the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and Indian Institute of Management (IIM) were established in Jammu.

The Chief Minister was responding to media queries after chairing Jammu district review meeting here

The announcement for setting up NLU in J&K was made by the Chief Minister in his maiden budget speech in the J&K Legislative Assembly in March 2025.

Later, during the election campaigning for the Budgam assembly by-polls, he had hinted that his government would consider temporary classes for the proposed NLU at vacant buildings in Ompora of Budgam, thus inviting the wrath of the opposition, which accused him of breaching the Model Code of Conduct.

CM Omar said that his government would continue the momentum of budget initiatives spelt out in the last fiscal year, despite economic constraints, by expediting work on ongoing schemes and endeavouring to bring new initiatives for the people’s welfare.

“In today’s meeting, we conducted a review. Big ticket decisions will be part of the budget for the next financial year (2026-27). January or February is not the time to make major decisions. If we take decisions today, the budget allocations will lapse in March (by the end of March),” he stated, while responding to a query about the decisions reached in the review meeting.

CM Omar stated that in the meeting conducted on Monday, January 12, 2026, last year’s performance was reviewed.

“District (Jammu) has performed well on almost all indices. A major portion of funds allotted to them, i.e., earmarked for the district, has been spent. The shortcomings, wherever they exist in some areas, will be rectified,” he said.

When asked about the major budget announcements and the expectations from the Union Government for J&K’s budget for the Financial Year 2026-27, the Chief Minister remarked, “It will be good for J&K to get as much central aid as possible. The reason being, J&K’s economic situation is not that rosy.”

“However, our endeavour will be to continue the momentum of initiatives taken in our budget for the last fiscal year and further take it forward. The work on ongoing schemes will be expedited. Besides that, we will try to bring new initiatives to the fore for the people,” he maintained.

Will his upcoming budget address the grouse of Jammu vis-à-vis persistent discrimination?

Confronting this query, CM Omar said, “You wait for the budget. It cannot be possible that I will start reading my budget (speech) in front of you here. The budget will be presented before the House.”

When asked about the controversy vis-à-vis demands being raked up for establishing the National Law University in Jammu, the Chief Minister responded with a one-word poser, “Why?”

“When the IIT and IIM were established in Jammu, what did Kashmir get then? Then why did you not raise the parity issue? Then why was no controversy raised that both (the institutions) should not be established in Jammu? One should be opened in Kashmir and the other should be set up in Jammu. But then, you did not mind it. But when it comes to the issue of National Law University, you start seeing discrimination in it,” he retorted.

CM Omar said that in any case, the matter about the location was not yet decided, and the decision on that account should be left to the UT government.

“Leave this decision to us. So far, no decision has been taken as to where it (NLU) will be located. Let us take that decision first then we will see,” he said.