J&K Today: UT Structure

Reorganisation Act, 2019: key provisions

• Lieutenant Governor (Art 239 and 239A) appointed by the President as head of the UT.
• Legislative Assembly of 114 seats: 90 are filled by election after the 2022 delimitation and 24 are kept vacant for Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The LG can also nominate 5 members.
• Ministers limited to 10 per cent of the strength of the Assembly.
• Public order and police are with the Lieutenant Governor, as in Delhi. The LG has a discretion and business rules. The July 2024 amendments to the Business Rules gave the LG more power over transfers of All India Service officers, public order and prosecution.
• Four Rajya Sabha seats and five Lok Sabha seats (Baramulla, Srinagar, Anantnag-Rajouri, Udhampur, Jammu). Ladakh has one Lok Sabha seat.
• High Court of J&K and Ladakh is common.
• Several State bodies, such as the State Human Rights Commission and the Accountability Commission, were abolished, and Central laws now apply.
• The Legislative Council was abolished.

Domicile law

• J&K Grant of Domicile Certificate (Procedure) Rules, 2020 (reservation under Art 16): a person is a domicile if they have lived in J&K for 15 years, or studied for 7 years and appeared in the Class 10 or 12 exams in the UT, or are registered as a migrant, and for the children of Central government officials who served for 10 years.
• It applies to jobs and land ownership (any Indian can now buy non-agricultural land).
• Daughters married outside no longer lose their rights.

Elections of 2024

• Assembly elections were held in three phases (18 September, 25 September and 1 October 2024). It was the first in the Union Territory and the first since 2014. Results on 8 October 2024.
• The National Conference led an alliance with the Congress and formed the government. Omar Abdullah took oath as Chief Minister on 16 October 2024.
• Sakina Itoo was a Cabinet Minister. The BJP is the main opposition party.
• The Lieutenant Governor is Manoj Sinha (since August 2020). In September 2026 he went on leave and the Delhi LG, V.K. Saxena, held additional charge. Check for the latest.

Statehood

Statehood was promised by the Union Home Minister in Parliament in 2019 and in the Supreme Court in 2023. The J&K Assembly passed a resolution seeking restoration in October 2024. Statehood has not been restored as of the time of writing.

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