Srinagar, 15 August

Omar Abdullah on Friday become the first elected chief minister in eight years to unfurl the national flag and preside over the main Independence Day function at Bakshi stadium in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar.

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti was the last chief minister to preside over the Independence Day function here in 2017.

The PDP-BJP coalition government fell after the saffron party withdrew support to its local partner in June 2018, leading to imposition of Governor's rule in the erstwhile state.

There was no elected government till Jammu and Kashmir was reorganised into two union territories in August 2019 following reading down of Article 370 that gave special status to the erstwhile state within the Indian constitution.

While Governor unfurled the National flag on Independence Day and Republic Day functions in 2018 and 2019, the honours were done by the Lieutenant Governor from 2020 to 2024.

Assembly elections were held in Jammu and Kashmir towards end of last year, leading to Abdullah becoming the first chief minister of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

Abdullah unfurled the tricolour at the Bakshi stadium and was provided a guard of honour before he inspected the contingents taking part in the parade.

He later took salute as contingents from various wings of Jammu and Kashmir police, Central Armed Paramilitary Forces and school children marched past the podium.

The cabinet colleagues of Abdullah presided over the independence day functions at winter capital Jammu and other important district headquarters of the union territory.

The cultural programme, one of the main attractions of the independence day function, was cancelled by the chief minister this year as a mark of respect to the persons who lost their lives in the Kishtwar flash floods on Thursday.