The Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board has stepped back from its proposal to introduce uniform Friday sermons in mosques across the region, following strong opposition from political leaders and religious figures.

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Darakshan Andrabi, the Board’s chairperson and a senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, clarified on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, that decisions regarding sermon topics would be made by religious scholars and preachers rather than politicians.

“There is no order to have uniform sermons,” Andrabi said, explaining that religious scholars and preachers had suggested working collectively to address social evils during a meeting held on Sunday.

She added that ulemas (religious scholars) and khateebs (preachers) would decide the subjects for Friday sermons through a board. Her remarks marked a reversal of the earlier proposal to establish a committee that would determine sermon topics in advance.

The initial proposal had triggered criticism from several prominent figures, including Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Kashmir’s chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti.

Opposition leaders had described the proposed move as interference in religious affairs, raising concerns about the autonomy of religious institutions and the role of authorities in determining mosque sermons.

The controversy has brought renewed attention to the relationship between religious freedom, administrative oversight and political involvement in Jammu and Kashmir.

By stating that preachers would determine sermon topics, Andrabi sought to clarify the Board’s position amid the growing debate. Her statement indicates that the focus would remain on cooperation among religious scholars to address social concerns rather than imposing a uniform sermon policy.

The development follows days of political disagreement over the proposal and leaves sermon-related decisions with religious scholars and preachers, according to the chairperson’s clarification.