SC Verdict on Article 370: Key Takeaways

TNI Bureau: The Supreme Court today upheld its verdict on the validity of the Centre’s move to scrap special status to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Constitution and divide it into two Union Territories.

A five-judge bench comprised Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud, Justices S K Kaul, Sanjeev Khanna, B R Gavai, and Surya Kant delivered the much-awaited verdict on a batch of petitions challenging the central government’s decision to abrogate Article 370 in 2019.

Here are the major takeaways of today’s hearing:

• Supreme Court upheld the Centre’s decision to scrap Article 370, asserting that Jammu and Kashmir possesses no unique internal sovereignty compared to other states of India.
• The Court upheld the validity of the Centre’s decision to carve out the union territory of Ladakh from Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019.
• The Apex Court directed the centre to to restore statehood in Jammu and Kashmir at the earliest.
• The Election Commission of India (EC) has been directed to conduct elections in Jammu and Kashmir by September 30, 2024.
• The Supreme Court refused to rule on the validity of the Presidential rule imposed in Jammu and Kashmir in December 2018.
• The Supreme Court held that Article 370 is a temporary provision. It was an interim arrangement due to war conditions in the state.
• The Court said that when a proclamation under Article 356 comes into force, countless decisions are taken by the Centre. Not every action can be challenged.