Opposition disrupted Governor NN Vohra’s address to the assembly—and later walked out of the session—on Tuesday to protest the state government’s decision to hold Panchayat elections next month without extending the 73rd amendment of the Constitution to Jammu and Kashmir.

As the first day of the 40-day Budget Session went under way, opposition Congress and National Conference accused the state government under Chief Minister Mehbobba Mufti of 'murdering democracy'.

Vohra’s appeals for calm went unheeded in the din, and opposition parties Congress and NC walked out after accusing the state government of “failing on all fronts”.

PWD Minister Naeem Akhtar later criticised the Opposition for disrupting the Governor’s address, and blamed the insurgency in the state on the “misdeeds of Congress and NC”.

Both Mufti and her brother Tassadaq Hussain Mufti—who was recently made tourism minister—were in the House..