Article 370: What will change in Jammu and Kashmir after removal of special status

The Narendra Modi government on Monday announced that it was scrapping part of Article 370, a constitutional provision that gives Jammu and Kashmir a special status. The BJP-led NDA government also brought a Bill in parliament to break the militancy-marred state into two union territories – Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

Ahead of the move, which is likely to spark unrest in the Valley, the government had flooded the region with over 35 thousand additional troops and evacuated tourists and Hindi pilgrims. All the communication channels, including Internet and cable TV services, were also severed ahead of the announcement.

Fearing resentment, mainstream political leaders of Jammu and Kashmir, including former chief ministers Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah, who had threatened of “catastrophic consequences”, were arrested and curfew-like restrictions were imposed in the state.

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What will change in Kashmir after scrapping of special status?

For decades, Jammu and Kashmir has been a part of India but governed differently than all the other states due to the Article 370. However, with the removal of Article 370, Jammu and Kashmir will now be governed as a federal territory like New Delhi and the other territory Ladakh like Chandigarh.

There will be no separate flag of Jammu and Kashmir and the tricolour will be the only national flag for the entire country. There will be no separate Constitution for Jammu and Kashmir and the Indian Constitution will govern the two union territories to be created.

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The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly will have a tenure of five years like all the states and UTs of Delhi and Puducherry. The government can also invoke Article 360 in the two UTs to declare financial emergency if need arises.

Henceforth, people from other states will be eligible to purchase land and properties and the Right to Information (RTI) Act will be applicable to the new UTs to be created, the official said., the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly had a tenure of six years.

(With inputs from PTI)