Rajya Sabha passes J&K Reorganisation Bill |
Indian Parliament`s Upper House, Rajya Sabha on Monday passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill which seeks to scrap Article 370 and Article 35A in Jammu and Kashmir, while also bifurcating the state into union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The Bill was passed by the Upper House through a voice vote, with 125 being in favour and 61 against it. With the passage of the Bill in the Rajya Sabha, it will now be discussed in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. Speaking in the Upper House, Union home minister Amit Shah said: “Because of Article 370, democracy has never percolated, corruption was at its peak and poverty was entrenched in the area.” As per the order, President Ram Nath Kovind has exercised his power under Clause 1 of Article 370. The presidential order has done away sections under Article 35A, which gives special privileges to “permanent residents" of the state while defining the term “permanent residents". Amit Shah also added, “Under Article 370 there is a provision that the President may by public notification declare that this article shall cease to be operative… from such date as he may specify… Because there is President`s rule, all decisions of the assembly will be taken by the House and we can pass the order with majority.”
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