When will J&K be given statehood, SC asks govt

Centre says will get back with a positive response' on the issue by Aug 31; clarifies Ladakh to remain UT

- Utkarsh Anand

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Union government to indicate if there was a time frame for granting statehood to Jammu & Kashmir, underlining that the restoration of democracy in the region was "very important", and prompting the Centre to respond that it would come back in 48 hours with a "positive statement" on the issue.

"The government has to make that statement before us that its (J&K's) progression back to state has to take place. It cannot be a Union territory (UT) in permanence... Restoration of democracy is very important. It's a surviving component for our nation," a Constitution bench, led by Chief Justice of India Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud, said.

As the court heard the matter of the abrogation of Article 370 and the restructuring of J&K into two Union territories, the central government stressed that J&K will be made a state again but requested for time till August 31 to present a road map for the restoration of its statehood and other aspects of the issue.

Ladakh will, however, continue to remain a UT, solicitor general (SG) Tushar Mehta submitted before the bench, which also comprised justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Sanjiv Khanna, Bhushan R Gavai and Surya Kant. He sought time to have a deliberation at the highest level and come back with a tentative time frame.

"J&K becoming a UT is not a permanent feature. I will make a positive statement on August 31... I can make a statement that it is a temporary measure. Two units were created under the reorganisation in 2019; one (J&K) with a legislature but power of police has to remain with the Centre because of peculiar security position there," he said.