J&K, Ladakh separate UTs from today; here's what changes

The state of Jammu and Kashmir ceased to exist at midnight and was converted into two union territories, 86 days after Parliament abrogated its special status under Article 370. Here is all you need to know about the changes.

Srinagar:Jammu and Kashmir ceased to exist as a state from midnight on Thursday, and its official bifurcation into two Union Territories - of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, has taken effect.

The state has been officially divided into the two Union Territories pursuant to the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2019, which the government passed in Parliament on August 5.

The Central government had also that day abrogated Article 370 that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

This is for the first time that a state is being converted into two UTs. The total number of states in the country will now be 28, while the total UTs will go up to nine.

NEW UNION TERRITORIES:

The UT of Jammu and Kashmir will have a legislature like Puducherry while Ladakh will be a UT without legislature like Chandigarh and both the UTs will be headed by two separate lieutenant governors (LG).

The term of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly will be five years, as opposed to six years under the separate Constitution the state had.

The Election Commission will carry out a delimitation process in Jammu and Kashmir. The Act states that Jammu and Kashmir Assembly will have 107 seats which will be increased to 114 after delimitation. The Assembly includes 24 vacant seats for Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.

GOVERNORS:

The UTs of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh will be headed by lieutenant governors GC Murmu and RK Mathur, respectively. They will take oath on Thursday.

The swearing-in ceremony will be first held in Leh where Mathur would be administered oath of office followed by that of Murmu in Srinagar.

LAW:

Laws passed by Parliament are now applicable to Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

The Union Home Ministry in a gazette notification said that laws which were applicable to Kashmir "have been repealed and the proceedings and actions taken under those laws are required to be protected".

The notification said that certain Central laws and rules which were applicable to Jammu and Kashmir earlier would continue to be made applicable to the two newly-created UTs.

POLICE:

The Centre will be in direct control of the police and the law and order in both Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir.

According to the Act, the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly can make laws on any matter specified in the state list except police and public order.

HIGH COURT:

The High Court of Jammu and Kashmir from October 31 will be the common High Court for the two Union Territories. The judges of the court will continue as the judges of the common High Court, with Geeta Mittal as the Chief Justice.

CIVIL SERVANTS:

The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 says the all India Services like the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and the Indian Police Service (IPS), of J-K cadre will continue to serve in the two succeeding UTs while new recruits of these services will be allocated in the Arunachal, Goa, Mizoram Union Territory (AGMUT) cadre.

The provincial service officers will continue serving in their current positions till a new order is issued by the Lt Governors for the two new UTs of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

The IAS, IPS and other central service officers and the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) will be under the control of the LG and not the elected government of Jammu and Kashmir.

LAND MATTERS:

In Jammu and Kashmir, land matters have been left as a subject under the elected government.

According to the Act, matters related to land rights, land tenures, transfer and alienation of agricultural land, land improvement, and agricultural loans will be under the elected government of Jammu and Kashmir.

However, land matters in Ladakh will be under the LG as the UT will not have its own Assembly.

Read: All central laws to be applicable to new UTs of J&K, Ladakh