Govt scraps Article 370, J&K to be bifurcated

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday tabled Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir), 2019, which proposed to revoke Article 370 of the Constitution. He also moved a bill to bifurcate Jammu and Kashmir into the Union Territory of Ladakh and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

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The Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order, 1954, as amended on August 5, 2019, shall "come into force at once". It is also announced that "all the provisions of the Constitution, as amended from time to time, shall apply in relation to the State of Jammu and Kashmir".

Shah introduced the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill in the Rajya Sabha amid vociferous protests from the Opposition benches.

Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad accused the BJP of “murdering the Constitution”.

The Bill introduced in the Rajya Sabha seeks to give Ladakh a status of Union Territory without a legislature.

“Further, keeping in view the prevailing internal security situation, fuelled by cross-border terrorism in the existing State of Jammu and Kashmir, a separate Union Territory for Jammu and Kashmir is being created,” the statement of objects and reasons of the bill said.

The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir will be with legislature," it added.

PDP members Mir Fayaz and Nazir Ahmed Laway attempted to tear a copy of the Indian Constitution in the Rajya Sabha.

Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu condemned the actions and asked House Marshals to escort the members out of the House.

Azad also condemned the actions of PDP members.

BSP member Satish Chandra Mishra announced his party’s support for the government move.