Home Minister Amit Shah moved a resolution in both houses of the Parliament to modify Article 370 of the Indian constitution that gives special status to Jammu & Kashmir.
The Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order, 2019, issued by President Ram Nath Kovind “in exercise of the powers conferred by Clause (1) of Article 370 of the Constitution”, has not abrogated Article 370. While this provision remains in the statute book, it has been used to withdraw the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.
Not only has Jammu and Kashmir lost its special status, it has been given a status lower than that of other states. Instead of 29, India will now have 28 states. Kashmir will no longer have a Governor, rather a Lieutenant Governor like in Delhi or Puducherry. With special provisions gone, Indian laws will now apply to the proposed Union Territories.
A petition has been moved in the Supreme Court challenging the Presidential notification on the revocation of special status to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370.
