In a ruling on Monday, the Indian Supreme Court declared Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) an integral part of the country, emphasizing that Article 370, which granted special status to the region, was a temporary provision.
The Narendra Modi government’s controversial move to revoke Articles 370 and 35A in 2019, altering the constitutional status of IIOJK, was criticized for violating international law and UN resolutions. This decision also led to the division of the state into two federally administered territories, affecting over 12 million people.
Following widespread petitions challenging the abrogation, a five-judge bench, led by Chief Justice of India Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud, deliberated on the matter for 16 days before reserving its verdict on September 5.
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In the recently announced decision, the Indian Supreme Court clarified that IIOJK became an integral part of India, citing evidence from Article 1 and 370 of the constitution. The court underscored that the region had not achieved internal sovereignty after joining the Union.
Supreme Court directed the country’s election commission to conduct elections in IIOJK by September 2024, signaling a significant step towards restoring political processes in the region.
