Jammu & Kashmir cabinet passes resolution for restoration of statehood

Abdullah is expected to travel to New Delhi to present the resolution draft to PM Modi.

In its first cabinet meeting on Thursday, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's government passed a resolution urging the National Democratic Alliance (NDA)-led central government to restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.

The resolution, drafted by the National Conference, comes after the party won 42 seats in the recent assembly elections.

Abdullah is expected to travel to New Delhi to present the resolution draft to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The first cabinet meeting of Chief Minister Abdullah's government was also attended by Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary and ministers Sakeena Masood Itoo, Javed Ahmad Rana, Javaid Ahmad Dar, and Satish Sharma.

"We have raised the issue of (restoration of) statehood before as well. Today, the Supreme Court has said it will be listed soon. I am hopeful that the Government of India will soon restore the statehood," Abdullah had said on Thursday.

National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah expressed optimism about the Centre's willingness to restore statehood, noting that the Supreme Court has agreed to hear an application regarding the matter within two months. He stated that the Government of India would soon restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.

Regarding the abrogation of Article 370, Abdullah stated that the NC would need to return to court to present its arguments on the issue. He remarked, “It will take time as we will have to go back to the courts and present our case,” but reaffirmed the NC's commitment to address the people's problems and work towards the goals outlined in their manifesto.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court is set to consider listing a plea seeking the time-bound restoration of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir.

Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan has urged the Supreme Court bench, led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, to expedite the hearing of a plea seeking the restoration of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir.

Sankaranarayanan highlighted that a Miscellaneous Application (MA) for conferring statehood was filed, referencing a previous judgment that indicated that such restoration should be time-bound. Chief Justice Chandrachud acknowledged the request, stating, "I will deal with it."

The fresh application was submitted by Zahoor Ahmad Bhat, an academician, and Khurshaid Ahmad Malik, a socio-political activist from Jammu and Kashmir. Their plea adds to the ongoing legal discourse surrounding the region's political status following the revocation of Article 370 in 2019.

The court had previously upheld the revocation of Article 370 and mandated that assembly elections be conducted by September 2024, while also indicating that statehood should be restored "at the earliest."