Lok Sabha Approves J&K Bills, Supreme Court Validates Article 370 Move
In a significant political development, the Lok Sabha passes key J&K bills while the Supreme Court upholds the removal of J&K’s special status under Article 370.
DELHI – The Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023, introducing pivotal changes to the 2004 Act, has been passed in the Lok Sabha.
This amendment redefines "other backward classes" in place of the term "weak and under-privileged classes," streamlining the reservation process for jobs and educational institutions.
Simultaneously, the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2023, amends the 2019 Act, increasing the total number of seats in the J&K legislative assembly to 114, with specific reservations for scheduled castes and tribes.
This amendment effectively raises the assembly’s strength from 83 to 90, excluding the 24 seats reserved for Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
The bill also allows for the nomination of representatives for Kashmiri migrants and displaced persons from areas under Pakistani occupation, reflecting a more inclusive approach.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah defended these bills as steps toward a "naya Kashmir," asserting that they ensure justice for those previously marginalized.
Shah’s strong stance on Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) being an integral part of India was echoed during the parliamentary debate.
These legislative developments occurred against the backdrop of the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling affirming the constitutional validity of the abrogation of Article 370.
The court clarified that Jammu and Kashmir’s former state status did not equate to internal sovereignty and endorsed the Centre’s decision on Ladakh’s separate union territory status.
However, the Court deferred judgment on the reorganisation into a union territory, citing the government’s promise to reinstate statehood.
The Court also mandated the Election Commission to conduct assembly elections in J&K by September 30, 2024, marking a crucial step in the region’s political roadmap.
