Speaking in the Rajya Sabha on August 5, 2019, Home Minister Amit Shah announced that Article 370 of the Constitution of India which grants special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir will be scrapped.
As per the announcement, Jammu & Kashmir will be bifurcated into two Union Territories with legislature and Ladakh to be a Union Territory without legislature.
In this regard, the Home Minister has introduced the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill 2019.
Meanwhile, President Ram Nath Kovind has issued a presidential order on Jammu and Kashmir, exercising his power under Clause 1 of Article 370.
This presidential order has done away sections under Article 35A.
The announcement was immediately followed by massive uproar in the Upper House with opposition MPs protesting in the Well of the House.
The decision to scrap Article 370 was seemingly made after government’s strategically build up the security in the state. Back in the Valley, three of Jammu and Kashmir's most prominent politicians — Mehbooba Mufti, Omar Abdullah and Sajjad Lone are under house arrest.
Internet services and mobile services have been suspended in several places and all public gatherings are banned in Srinagar and Jammu after Section 144 was imposed in both the districts.
Soon after the breaking announcement, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti took to Twitter to condemn the move. “Today marks the darkest day in Indian democracy. Decision of J&K leadership to reject 2-nation theory in 1947 & align with India has backfired. Unilateral decision of GOI to scrap Article 370 is illegal & unconstitutional which will make India an occupational force in J&K,” she wrote.
Jammu & Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2019
The Bill to provide for reservation in appointment and promotions in state government posts, and admission to professional institutions for certain reserved categories, for socially and educationally backward classes was also discussed in the Rajya Sabha today i.e., August 5, 2019.
The Bill defines socially and educationally backward classes to include persons living in areas adjoining the Actual Line of Control.
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