Article 370 Verdict: SC upholds abrogation; asks to conduct elections for Assembly by September 30 next year

On Monday, the Supreme Court affirmed the government’s decision to revoke Article 370, which conferred special status upon the former state of Jammu and Kashmir. The Court further directed that measures be taken to organize assembly elections by September 30 of the following year. Chief Justice of India, D Y Chandrachud, writing the judgment on behalf of himself and Justices Gavai and Surya Kant, emphasized that Article 370 was a temporary provision and that the president possessed the authority to rescind it. Additionally, the apex court upheld the legitimacy of creating the union territory of Ladakh from Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019. Chief Justice Chandrachud clarified that the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir did not possess internal sovereignty distinct from other states within the country..