Widespread street protests by NC, PDP mark 7th anniversary of abrogation of Article 370 in J&K

The seventh anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2024, once again brought into sharp focus the enduring political fault lines in Jammu & Kashmir. On this day in 2019, the Government of India, through Presidential Order C.O. 272 issued under Article 370(1) read with Article 370(3), effectively nullified the special autonomous status of the erstwhile state of Jammu & Kashmir. Simultaneously, the Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, bifurcated the state into two Union Territories — Jammu & Kashmir (with legislature) and Ladakh (without legislature) — fundamentally altering the constitutional and administrative architecture of the region. The move, passed by Parliament with a two-thirds majority in both Houses, was justified by the Centre as a step toward full integration, development, and national security, while critics viewed it as a unilateral erosion of federalism and a breach of the Instrument of Accession signed by Maharaja Hari Singh in 1947. On the 2024 anniversary, the political divide was visibly manifest. The National Conference (NC), led by Omar Abdullah, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), headed by Mehbooba Mufti — the two principal mainstream regional parties that have historically dominated J&K's electoral politics — organised widespread street protests across the Valley. These parties, once rivals but now aligned under the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) formed in 2020, continue to demand restoration of Article 370 and statehood. Their stance reflects deep-seated resentment among a significant section of the Kashmiri populace who perceive the 2019 action as a democratic betrayal. In contrast, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, representing the Union Government, marked the occasion by distributing appointment letters to family members of terror victims, framing the abrogation as a "historic turning point" that has ushered in peace, development, and justice for victims of cross-border terrorism. The constitutional provisions at play are critical for exam aspirants. Article 370, a "temporary, transitional, and special provision" in Part XXI of the Constitution, had allowed J&K to have its own Constitution, flag, and autonomy over all matters except defence, foreign affairs, finance, and communications. Its abrogation was executed not by a Constitutional Amendment under Article 368, but through a Presidential Order under Article 370(1)(d) — a move that sparked intense legal debate. The Supreme Court, in its landmark judgment on December 11, 2023 (in *In re: Article 370 of the Constitution*), upheld the abrogation as constitutionally valid, ruling that J&K had no internal sovereignty and that the President could unilaterally revoke Article 370 after the dissolution of the state's Constituent Assembly in 1957. The Court also directed restoration of statehood and early elections. The significance for India is multi-dimensional. Politically, the move fulfilled a core ideological promise of the BJP and reshaped Centre-State relations, reinforcing a centralised federal model. Economically, the Centre claims increased investment, infrastructure projects (like the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link), and tourism growth. Socially, the extension of central laws — including the Right to Education, Right to Information, and reservations for SCs/STs — has expanded rights for marginalised communities like Valmikis, Gorkhas, and West Pakistan refugees. However, security challenges persist: while stone-pelting and mass protests have declined, targeted killings of civilians and migrant workers by hybrid terrorists continue, and Pakistan-backed infiltration remains a threat. Looking ahead, the restoration of statehood and conduct of Assembly elections — last held in 2014 — are the most pressing benchmarks. The Supreme Court's 2023 directive set a timeline for elections by September 2024, though delays are possible. The political rehabilitation of mainstream leaders, many of whom were detained post-2019, and the re-engagement of youth in democratic processes will determine long-term stability. Internationally, India has consistently maintained that Article 370 is an internal matter, but the issue occasionally surfaces in bilateral talks and multilateral forums, requiring deft diplomacy. For aspirants, this topic remains a living case study in constitutional law, federalism, internal security, and governance — intersecting Polity (Articles 1, 3, 370, 356, 368), Governance (UT administration, Delimitation Commission), Internal Security (terrorism, radicalisation), and International Relations (Pakistan, OIC, UN).