SC to Hear Jammu & Kashmir Statehood Plea Today; Government Response Pending

Digital Desk

New Delhi, 5 hours ago – The Supreme Court will hear petitions seeking the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s full statehood today. In the last hearing on August 14, the Court had directed the central government to submit a response within eight weeks, taking into account the ground situation and recent security incidents, including the Pahalgam terrorist attack.

After the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, Jammu and Kashmir was reorganized into two Union Territories—Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. While the Supreme Court upheld the abrogation in December 2023, the government had promised to restore statehood after elections.

Petitioners, including Professor Zahoor Ahmad Bhat and activist Khurshid Ahmad Malik, argue that peaceful assembly and Lok Sabha elections indicate normalcy in the state, and the delay in restoring statehood undermines democratic governance and federal structure.

Process for Granting Full Statehood:

1. Proposal is sent via the Lieutenant Governor to the central government.

2. Parliament must amend the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, under Articles 3 and 4 of the Constitution.

3. Approval is required from both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, followed by the President’s notification, after which full statehood will be restored.

Recent Elections:
The first assembly elections post-Article 370 abrogation were held in September 2024. National Conference (NC) emerged as the largest party with 42 seats, allied Congress won 6, CPI(M) 1, while BJP secured 29 seats. PDP, once the largest party, managed only 3 seats.