QUE : Analyze the recent Supreme Court judgment on the abrogation of Article 370 and assess the impact of this decision on political, economic growth, infrastructural development and tourism in the region.

Recently, the Supreme Court of India has upheld the government’s decision to abrogate Article 370 and 35 (A). It stated that Article 370 was a short-term provision, not a permanent one.

• Article 370

•  This article of the Constitution of India granted special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. It was a temporary provision of the Constitution. It provided the state with its own constitution, flag and sovereignty. Defence, external affairs and communications were with the central government.
  
•  Its origins lie in the “Instrument of Accession” signed by Maharaja Hari Singh of Jammu and Kashmir in 1947 for the accession of Jammu and Kashmir to India after the invasion by Pakistan.
  
• Abolition
  
•  In the year 2019, the “Constituent Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir” was interpreted as “Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly” by a Presidential Order and through it the powers of the legislature were given to the President through President’s Rule. After that, the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha passed resolutions in both the houses of Parliament to abolish Article 370. The Parliament passed the “Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019” and divided it into two Union Territories 1. Jammu and Kashmir and 2. Ladakh.
  
• Supreme Court Judgment:
  

• Article 370 was a temporary provision. Jammu and Kashmir does not enjoy any internal sovereignty as a state. This provision was an interim provision and by removing it, the Constitution of India can be fully applied to it. To check the legality of this decision of the Parliament, the Court has decided to “S. R. BomI vs. Union of India, 1994” was taken as a reference and stated that during President’s rule, the Governor (in the case of Jammu and Kashmir, the President) can assume all the roles of the State Legislature.
  
•  The removal of Article 370 has had an impact on various aspects such as political, structural, development, tourism, etc.
  
•  With the removal of Article 370, Jammu and Kashmir has been fully integrated into India, which embodies the spirit of Article 1 of the Constitution. In addition, separatism among the locals and the obstacles created by it have been removed.
  
•  There has been success in reducing the use of Kashmir by neighboring countries to promote terrorism.
  
•  Discrimination against women, Dalits, and other minority communities has been eliminated with the full implementation of the Indian Constitution.
  
•  With the removal of Article 370, the state has become completely under the Central Vigilance Commission and It will come under the Right to Information Act so that better governance and accountability can be determined.
  
•  More investment, tourism activities and through it, job creation will be possible in the state.
  
•  According to statistics, local violence has decreased after the removal of Article 370. Terrorist activities have decreased by more than 50%. More than 300 terrorists have been killed by the security forces.
  
•  At the economic level, the Prime Minister’s Development Package and the Industrial Development Scheme have increased the pace of investment, job creation and economic development in the region. Tax revenue has increased by 31%.
•  The development of infrastructure works like roads, roads, bridges, tunnels, power lines has accelerated. This has made movement of people and business growth possible.
  
•  The removal of Article 370 has given a big boost to the tourism sector. In the year 2022, 1.62 crore visitors visited Jammu and Kashmir, the most in the 75 years of independence.
  

                                Thus, the Supreme Court’s judgment on Article 370 gives primacy to the concept of sovereignty of the Indian Constitution and seeks to accelerate the full integration of Jammu and Kashmir with the Union of India. This will give the locals an opportunity to enjoy the rights granted by the Constitution and further accelerate their socio-economic development…