President Ram Nath Kovind has declared abrogation of the provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
KRC TIMES Desk
The move came after both houses of Parliament passed a resolution in this regard. “In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (3) of Article 370 read with clause (1) of Article 370 of the Constitution of India, the President, on the recommendation of Parliament, is pleased to declare that, as from the 6th August 2019, all clauses of the said article 370 shall cease to be operative…,” an official notification signed by the President late on Tuesday night. The Rajya Sabha gave its approval to the resolution on Monday.
The latest move by the government gives full applicability of the Indian Consitution in Jammu and Kashmir. Earlier, only a set of limited provisions were applicable over Jammu and Kashmir.
The separate constitution of Jammu and Kashmir ceases to be in operation in the state. The state constitution rendered inoperative and Articles 1-2 applicable to Jammu and Kashmir. Now onwards the central government got the power to redraw the map of the state.
The Union Territory of Jammu-Kashmir will have a legislature. Its new status will be comparable with that of Delhi and Puducherry, only two other Union Territories to have legislatures of their own. The Governor of Jammu and Kashmir will now become Lieutenant Governor.
However, Ladakh will have a separate identity as Union Territory much like five other centrally administered areas. Its status will be comparable with that of Lakshadweep, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh and others.
The BJP-led government’s bold move to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcate the border state into two Union territories secured Parliament’s approval on Tuesday with the Lok Sabha passing the new measures with an over two-thirds majority.
The government had announced on Monday the removal of some provisions of Article 370 to take away Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and proposed bifurcation of the state into two Union territories—Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh— a far-reaching decision that seeks to redraw the map and future of a region at the centre of protracted militancy.
With this, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fulfilled one of its polls promises within 90 days of the Modi government.
