Article 370 scrapped: What lies ahead for J&K after bifurcation

Home Minister Amit Shah at a Parliament session. Pic: Agencies

The Centre's proposal of abrogation of Article 370 for Jammu and Kashmir has resulted in splitting the state into two union territories - Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. With Jammu and Kashmir being a union territory with a legislature and Ladakh being one without legislature, the number of union territories in the country will now stand at nine.

This decision has come after the buildup of troops in the valley and sudden cancellation of the Amarnath yatra following a ‘terror threat', shut down of internet and mobile communications services and placing prominent leaders under house arrest that threw Jammu and Kashmir off the edge. Curfew was imposed and locals were forced to remain indoors as proposal was being reviewed and discussed upon in the Parliament.

Also Read: Article 370 Modi-fied, Kashmir special no more

What Articles 370 and 35 (A) meant for Jammu and Kashmir

Article 370 gave special status to the Jammu and Kashmir as it had a different constitution, a separate flag and a set of temporary laws and provisions for the state, that are similar to the laws followed by the Indian Union. According to the Article 35 (A) that branched out of Article 370, the Union government had no rights to make any laws in the state. Back in 1956, the constitution of Jammu and Kashmir had granted powers to the assembly to define a permanent resident as a subject who has been residing in the state for past 10 years as of May 14, 1954 with a ‘legally acquired property'. Now that the articles have been done away with, the newly-formed union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh come under the Constitution (Applications to Jammu and Kashmir) Order, 2019, making their residents liable to follow the same laws as the rest of the Indian states.

Also Read: Article 370 scrapped in J&K: This one is for Syama Prasad Mukherjee, says CM

Mixed Reactions

The bill that was passed with the majority of 125 votes in favour and 61 against was welcomed with all kinds of reactions from leaders within the parliament and from different sections of the country. As many political parties were seen expressing their support for the move in the public sphere, many others were seen protesting it, calling the day as ‘the darkest day for Indian democracy'.

Also read: Situation remained peaceful in Doda after Centre scrapped Article 370

The road ahead

Lieutenant Governors will be appointed for both union territories as a representative to the President of India. As Jammu and Kashmir would enjoy partial statehood, a chief minister and a council of ministers will also be appointed. Ladakh, being a union territory without a legislature like Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu and Lakshadweep will be governed directly by the Central government.

With inputs from PTI, ANI and other agencies

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