Editor's Pick: J&K Statehood | Centre says unable to give timeline

The Central government on Thursday conveyed to the Supreme Court its inability to commit to an exact time period within which full Statehood would be restored to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir was reorganised into the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The Centre has said that Ladakh would continue to be a Union Territory unlike Jammu and Kashmir, which would eventually regain its Statehood. While not committing to a timeline on Thursday, the Union government said Jammu and Kashmir was ready to hold elections “any time now”. Appearing before a Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta assured the court that the Union Territory status of Jammu and Kashmir was only a “temporary phenomenon”. Earlier on Tuesday, Mr. Mehta had sought time till August 31 to get instructions from the government about a time frame by which Jammu and Kashmir would revert to Statehood following bifurcation in August 2019. “I am unable to give an exact time period right now for the Statehood. Complete Statehood may take some time as the State had faced repeated and consistent disturbances for decades together… I assure you we are progressively proceeding to make Jammu and Kashmir a complete State,” Mr. Mehta submitted. He said Jammu and Kashmir became a Union Territory in an “extraordinarily extreme situation”. Its progress towards Statehood needs to be “infused” with investments, he said, adding that the Centre was catalysing the progress by pumping investments to the tune of ₹28,400 crore. Mr. Mehta said Jammu and Kashmir had seen “enormous changes” post-abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. Terrorism, infiltration, stone-pelting, and casualties among security personnel had reduced by 45.2%, 90.2%, 97.2%, and 65.9%, respectively. The CJI, however, said these figures would only be considered as the Centre’s efforts to restore Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. The constitutional challenge to the abrogation of Article 370 would have to be answered by the Centre on constitutional grounds, and not by quoting these statistics at the court. It is important to note that it has been four years since Jammu and Kashmir was “temporarily” made a Union Territory, and the apex court reminded the Centre in the previous hearing that while national security was important, the “restoration of democracy is a vital component for our nation”. The court had also voiced its apprehensions about the source of the Parliament’s power to transform States to Union Territories while the Centre argued that the case of Jammu and Kashmir, which has seen violence and cross border terrorism for decades, was “one of its kind”. Chief Justice Chandrachud said Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand were also border States. While the Centre has reiterated that Jammu and Kashmir will not permanently be a Union Territory and that elections will be held soon, the impression is inescapable that the people of J&K are being presented with a fait accompli on matters concerning their political destiny, as long as the core question — the validity of the withdrawal of its statehood and special status in 2019 — remains undecided. The Hindu’s Editorials Mapping the way forward: on China and its neighbours Neighbours and rivals: On the Asia Cup The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz Billigundulu is on the inter-State border between which two States? Karnataka-Kerala Tamil Nadu-Karnataka Andhra Pradesh-Karnataka Karnataka-Goa To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 01 September 2023 [The Hindu logo] In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [Arrow]( [Open in browser]( [Mail icon]( [More newsletters]( J&K Statehood | Centre says unable to give timeline The Central government on Thursday [conveyed to the Supreme Court]( its inability to commit to an exact time period within which full Statehood would be restored to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir was reorganised into the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The Centre has said that Ladakh would continue to be a Union Territory unlike Jammu and Kashmir, which would eventually regain its Statehood. While not committing to a timeline on Thursday, the Union government said Jammu and Kashmir was ready to hold elections “any time now”. Appearing before a Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta assured the court that the Union Territory status of Jammu and Kashmir was only a “temporary phenomenon”. Earlier on Tuesday, Mr. Mehta [had sought time]( till August 31 to get instructions from the government about a time frame by which Jammu and Kashmir would revert to Statehood following bifurcation in August 2019. “I am unable to give an exact time period right now for the Statehood. Complete Statehood may take some time as the State had faced repeated and consistent disturbances for decades together… I assure you we are progressively proceeding to make Jammu and Kashmir a complete State,” Mr. Mehta submitted. He said Jammu and Kashmir became a Union Territory in an “extraordinarily extreme situation”. Its progress towards Statehood needs to be “infused” with investments, he said, adding that the Centre was catalysing the progress by pumping investments to the tune of ₹28,400 crore. Mr. Mehta said Jammu and Kashmir had seen “enormous changes” post-abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. Terrorism, infiltration, stone-pelting, and casualties among security personnel had reduced by 45.2%, 90.2%, 97.2%, and 65.9%, respectively. The CJI, however, said these figures would only be considered as the Centre’s efforts to restore Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. The constitutional [challenge to the abrogation of Article 370]( would have to be answered by the Centre on constitutional grounds, and not by quoting these statistics at the court. It is important to note that it has been four years since Jammu and Kashmir was “temporarily” made a Union Territory, and the apex court reminded the Centre in the previous hearing that while national security was important, the “restoration of democracy is a vital component for our nation”. The court had also voiced its apprehensions about the source of the Parliament’s power to transform States to Union Territories while the Centre argued that the case of Jammu and Kashmir, which has seen violence and cross border terrorism for decades, was “one of its kind”. Chief Justice Chandrachud said Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand were also border States. While the Centre has reiterated that Jammu and Kashmir will not permanently be a Union Territory and that elections will be held soon, the impression is inescapable that the people of J&K are being presented with a fait accompli on matters concerning their political destiny, as long as the core question — the validity of the withdrawal of its statehood and special status in 2019 — remains undecided. The Hindu’s Editorials [Arrow][Mapping the way forward: on China and its neighbours]( [Arrow][Neighbours and rivals: On the Asia CupÂ]( The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz Billigundulu is on the inter-State border between which two States? - Karnataka-Kerala - Tamil Nadu-Karnataka - Andhra Pradesh-Karnataka - Karnataka-Goa To know the answer and to play the full quiz, [click here](. [Sign up for free]( [[Explained | Decoding the OCCRP’s Adani report] Explained | Decoding the OCCRP’s Adani report]( [[Are natural disasters man-made?] Are natural disasters man-made?]( [[When the British levied Thimir Vari on residents of a village in Coimbatore] When the British levied Thimir Vari on residents of a village in Coimbatore]( [[A progressive UCC must protect the child’s best interests] A progressive UCC must protect the child’s best interests]( Copyright @ 2023, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. If you are facing any trouble in viewing this newsletter, please [try here]( Manage your newsletter subscription preferences [here]( If you do not wish to receive such emails [go here](