Jammu & Kashmir elections
Abrogation of Art, 370 to UNION TERRITORY TO STATEHOOD -Jammu & Kashmir - A Timeline UPSC
Jammu & Kashmir - Facts & History
Jammu & Kashmir election Jammu and Kashmir had three distinct areas:
Based on The J&K Delimitation Commission’s reports of 2022,
- Hindu-majority Jammu region, (population – 69 lakhs – 66% Hindus)
- Muslim-majority Kashmir Valley, (population – 54 lakhs – 96% Muslims) and
- Buddhist-dominated Ladakh.. The state of Jammu and Kashmir was accorded special status by Article 370 of the Constitution of India. In contrast to other states of India, Jammu and Kashmir had its own constitution, flag, and administrative autonomy.Indian citizens from other states were not allowed to purchase land or property in Jammu and Kashmir under Article 35A of the Constitution of India.
Among India’s established political parties BJP or Bharatiya Janata Party in the foremost that is against separate treatment of Jammu and Kashmir which they feel has preserved the Muslim majority in the state and created a very separatist tendencies and obstructing full integration.
Jammu & Kashmir - A Timeline
A Timeline:
- 26th October 1948 - Jammu & Kashmir joins Indian union, Raja Hari Singh signs Instrument of accession.
- Disputed state assembly election in 1987 - Unrest and violence persisted in the Kashmiri Valley and, following a disputed state election in 1987, an insurgency persisted in protest over autonomy and rights.This unrest was supported by militants from Pakistan and Afghanistan who infiltrated the porous borders.
- Large scale army deployment and killing of more than 1000 militants - 1989 TO TODAY: Pakistan’s Proxy War in Kashmir In 1989, an insurgency sponsored by Pakistan’s military and intelligence service engulfed the Kashmir Valley. Since then, nearly 15,000 civilians have been killed in militant-related violence. In combating militants, the Indian army and state police have also committed abuses. LeT was responsible for the November 2008 Mumbai attacks, and JeM was responsible for the September 18, 2016 attack on an Indian army base, leading to an escalation in tensions between India and Pakistan.
- 2014 assembly elections – one of the most widely participated assembly elections because of improvement in security situation.
BJP the national ruling party emerges the largest party with 25 seats in Hindu dominated Jammu & & Peoples democratic party(PDP) with 25 emerges as the largest party in Muslim dominated Kashmir.
Seats by Division
| Division | Seats before delimitation | Seats after delimitation |
| Kashmir | 46 | 47 |
| Ladakh | 4 | Separated permanently |
| Jammu | 37 | 43 |
- The Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) came to power in the 2014 Indian general election with full majority in Lok Sabha but not in lok sabha and which had included the revocation of Article 370 of the Constitution of India as a promise since its founding, to bring Jammu and Kashmir to equal status with other states.
Once Rajya sabha majority was achieved, a Resolution to repeal Article 370 was passed by both the houses of the Parliament of India in August 2019. At the same time, a reorganisation act was also passed, which would reconstitute the state into two union territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, while Article 35A was also abolished through suspension of the Presidential Order of 1954. The reorganisation took effect from 31 October 2019.
- In J&K, there are 90 seats, increased from 83 after delimitation award of 2023. Six seats have been added to Jammu, which has 43, and Kashmir, with one addition, has 47. Ladakh has been permanently separated.While the tribal Gujjars and Bakarwals had job reservation, the central government has given reservation to Paharis and other three castes, comprising upper-caste Hindus and Muslims.
- 2024 assembly elections – As promised by BJP led govt. and mandated by a supreme court ruling j & k is undergoing election which will revert it back to full statehood from current UT status.