J&K and Ladakh since 2019

5 August 2019

• A Presidential Order (C.O. 272) and a statutory resolution in Parliament ended the special status under Article 370. The J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019 split the State into two Union Territories: Jammu and Kashmir (with a legislature) and Ladakh (without). They took effect on 31 October 2019.
• The first Lieutenant Governors were G.C. Murmu (J&K) and R.K. Mathur (Ladakh).

Changes after 2019

• Domicile rules (2020) replaced the State Subject/Permanent Resident system. Many Central laws now apply.
• District Development Council (DDC) elections (December 2020) gave a three-tier panchayat system.
• The Delimitation Commission (2020 to 2022) fixed 90 Assembly seats (43 in Jammu, 47 in Kashmir), with 9 seats for Scheduled Tribes for the first time.
• The Darbar Move ended in 2021.

The Supreme Court verdict (11 December 2023)

• A five-judge Constitution Bench upheld the abrogation of Article 370 (In re: Article 370). It asked for elections by 30 September 2024 and for statehood to be restored at the earliest.

Assembly elections 2024

• Held in three phases (18 September, 25 September, 1 October 2024). Results (8 October 2024): National Conference 42, BJP 29, Congress 6, PDP 3, others and independents the rest.
• Omar Abdullah was sworn in as Chief Minister on 16 October 2024, the first CM of the Union Territory.

Ladakh

• Ladakh has the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils at Leh and Kargil. People have demanded statehood and Sixth Schedule safeguards, and talks with the Centre have continued.