In a big news for Jammu and Kashmir awaiting restoration of statehood, the Union government is poised to introduce the much-anticipated Jammu and Kashmir Re organisation Constitutional Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha on August 20, a move that may significantly reshape the region’s political landscape.
This follows the annulment of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood on August 5, 2019, when Article 370 was abrogated, bifurcating the former state into the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.Union Home Minister Amit Shah is said to have informed the secretary-general of the Lok Sabha, Utpal Kumar Singh, that he intends to introduce the Union Territory Administration (Amendment) Bill, 2025 during the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament. Sources said Shah has also sought to move the 130th Constitutional Amendment Bill, 2025 alongside the proposal.
According to officials, copies of Shah’s letter have also been marked to Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, the Legislative department of the Ministry of Law and Justice, the Lok Sabha Secretariat, and the legislative office of the Lok Sabha.In a separate request, Shah urged the secretary-general to relax certain parliamentary procedures, citing “paucity of time” before the current session ends on August 21. He referred specifically to Rule 19(A) and Rule 19(B), which mandate prior notice before introducing a bill and require circulation of government bills among members for review.
While the exact content of the bills remains unclear, the development comes soon after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta assured the Supreme Court that the Union government would restore Jammu Kashmir’s statehood “at the earliest” following the successful conduct of assembly elections in the region. Meanwhile, Ladakh has witnessed sustained protests demanding a legislative assembly, a demand the government has said it will consider positively.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has already notified the Lok Sabha secretary-general of his intent to move the constitutional amendment during the current parliamentary session. Shah is also seeking procedural leniency to ensure both the primary amendment and an associated constitutional amendment bill are taken up before the session concludes on 21 August.
The original abrogation of Article 370 and the reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir—enforced by a Presidential order on August 5, 2019—were justified by the government as measures to accelerate integration, curb separatism, and promote development in the region, according to Business Standard.The new amendment is expected to address long-standing demands for political reforms in Jammu and Kashmir. Details of the bill’s provisions are not yet fully public, but it is anticipated to touch on issues such as electoral representation and local governance.
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