J&K sends invites for Oct 31; UTs Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh to be formed

Ahead of the date when Union territories Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh come into existence, the J&K government on Friday has invited all administrative secretaries to the 'appointed day' i.e October 31, 2019. The two Union territories will be formed according to the provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir Re-organisation Act, 2019. It also directed all the secretaries to not move out of the state during the transit period October-November 2019. It has asked all the secretaries to be present for the ceremony in Srinagar. 

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Here is the directive issued by the J&K government:

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Current situation of Kashmir

Meanwhile, the Centre has stated that the situation in Kashmir is slowly being restored back to normalcy. Sources report that in Anantnag there has been almost 50% vehicular movement as per usual. Sources also report that 10-20% of the shops in the district have been opened. While traffic has been seen increasing in the Valley, public transport is still not functional, as informed by authorities. While landline connections have been restored completely, internet and cell connections too have been restored to most parts of the Valley, according to Kashmir administration, while economic activity too has picked up, as stated by authorities. Schools have also opened in the Valley and attendance has been gradually rising. The state administration has been giving regular reports about medical facilities functional in the Valley.

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Parliament revoked Article 370 and 35 A

The government had revoked Article 370 which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir and proposed that the state be bifurcated into two Union Territories, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. The Jammu & Kashmir (Reorganisation) Bill, 2019, which strips Jammu and Kashmir's status of a state and converts it into a Union Territory with the legislature and carving out Ladakh region as a UT without legislature. It was passed in a division pressed by the opposition with 125 votes in favor and 61 against, and an NCP member abstained in the Rajya Sabha. It was then passed by a two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha on the next day, making it law.

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