New Delhi, Dec 11 : The Supreme Court of India affirmed the government’s decision to revoke Article 370, the provision granting special status to the former state of Jammu and Kashmir. Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, writing the judgment for himself and Justices Gavai and Surya Kant, stated that Article 370 was a temporary provision, and the president had the authority to revoke it. The court also upheld the creation of the union territory of Ladakh from Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019. Chief Justice Chandrachud emphasized that Jammu and Kashmir did not possess internal sovereignty distinct from other states in the country, and all provisions of the Indian Constitution could be applied to it. The judgment declared the exercise of presidential power to abrogate Article 370 as valid, asserting that Jammu and Kashmir had become an integral part of India. The Constituent Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir was not intended to be a permanent body, and Article 370, abrogated on August 5, 2019, was considered an interim arrangement due to wartime conditions. The court’s decision followed a 16-day hearing on petitions challenging the abrogation of Article 370, with the pronouncement of the verdict currently underway.
