A five-judge of the Supreme Court backed the Centre’s move to scrap Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, which granted the erstwhile state a special status. Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud-led Supreme Court bench pronounced three judgements on the matter. 

The Supreme Court ruled that Article 370 was a temporary provision to ease the merger of Jammu and Kashmir in the Union of India. The Supreme Court also directed the Election Commission of India to conduct elections in the Union Territory by September 2024. The Supreme Court upheld the validity of the Centre’s decision to carve out the Union Territory of Ladakh from Jammu and Kashmir in 2019.

Who Said What

Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad, who served as the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, called the verdict “sad and unfortunate” and said, the people of the region are not happy with the verdict but we have to accept it.

“The people of Jammu and Kashmir are not going to lose hope or give up. Our fight for honour and dignity will continue regardless. This isn’t the end of the road for us. This is the loss of the idea of India,” People’s Democratic Party, Mehbooba Mufti said. “The hand that you held has been wounded,” she said in a video message posted on X.

Karan Singh, a Congress leader and the son of Hari Singh, the former Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, said, “My sincere advice to a section of people in Jammu and Kashmir who will not be happy with this judgment is that they should accept the inevitable and they should accept the fact that now this has been done and the Supreme Court has upheld the action and therefore there’s no point now unnecessarily hitting their head against the wall.”

“Now my suggestion is that they should turn their energies towards fighting the next elections. That is where the people should now be motivated instead of developing any negativity,” he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the Supreme Court’s decision “historic” and said,  “The Court, in its profound wisdom, has fortified the very essence of unity that we, as Indians, hold dear and cherish above all else.”

Today’s Supreme Court verdict on the abrogation of Article 370 is historic and constitutionally upholds the decision taken by the Parliament of India on 5th August 2019; it is a resounding declaration of hope, progress and unity for our sisters and brothers in Jammu, Kashmir and…

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 11, 2023

“The verdict today is not just a legal judgment; it is a beacon of hope, a promise of a brighter future and a testament to our collective resolve to build a stronger, more united India,” the Prime Minister posted on X.

Quoting poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz to express hope in despair, former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and National Conference leader, Omar Abdullah, said, “Disappointed but not disheartened. The struggle will continue,” adding, “It took the BJP decades to reach here. We are also prepared for the long haul.”

Dil na umeed tou nahi ⁰Na kaam hi tou hai ⁰Lambi hai gham ki shaam⁰Magar shaam hi tou hai

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) December 11, 2023

Disappointed but not disheartened. The struggle will continue. It took the BJP decades to reach here. We are also prepared for the long haul. #WeShallOvercome #Article370

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) December 11, 2023

“The Supreme Court verdict on Article 370 is disappointing. Justice yet again eludes the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Article 370 may have been legally obliterated but will always remain a part of our political aspirations,” Jammu and Kashmir, Peoples Conference chief, Sajad Lone said.

The Supreme Court verdict on Article 370 is disappointing. Justice yet again eludes the people of J and K. Article 370 may have been legally obliterated but will always remain a part of our political aspirations.

In the case of statehood the Supreme Court sidestepped even…

— Sajad Lone (@sajadlone) December 11, 2023

“The BJP welcomes the decision given by the Honorable Supreme Court regarding Article 370,” BJP chief JP Nadda said.

माननीय उच्चतम न्यायालय द्वारा धारा 370 के विषय में दिये गये फ़ैसले का भारतीय जनता पार्टी स्वागत करती है। उच्चतम न्यायालय की संवैधानिक पीठ ने धारा 370 और 35A को हटाने के लिए दिए गये निर्णय, उसकी प्रक्रिया और उद्देश्य को सही ठहराया है। माननीय प्रधानमंत्री @narendramodi जी की सरकार…

— Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) December 11, 2023

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has done the historic work of including Jammu and Kashmir in the main ideology of the country, for this I and crores of our workers express our heartfelt gratitude to the Prime Minister,” he added.

“The entire region now echoes with melodious music and cultural tourism. The bonds of unity have strengthened, and integrity with Bharat stands reinforced,” Home Minister Amit Shah reacted on the verdict.

After the abrogation of #Article370, the rights of the poor and deprived have been restored, and separatism and stone pelting are now things of the past. The entire region now echoes with melodious music and cultural tourism. The bonds of unity have strengthened, and integrity…

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) December 11, 2023

“Under the leadership of PM Modi, our government is committed to establishing lasting peace in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh and the all-around development of the region,” he added.

“The decision given by the Honorable Supreme Court regarding Section 370 and 35 A is commendable. This is going to strengthen the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat-Shreshtha Bharat’,” Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said.

माननीय उच्चतम न्यायालय द्वारा धारा 370 और 35 A के संबंध में दिया गया निर्णय अभिनंदनीय है। यह ‘एक भारत-श्रेष्ठ भारत’ की भावना को मजबूती प्रदान करने वाला है।

‘राष्ट्र प्रथम’ की भावना के साथ आदरणीय प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi जी के नेतृत्व में जम्मू- कश्मीर को देश की मुख्यधारा…

— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) December 11, 2023

“Certainly, under the successful leadership of the Prime Minister, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh region will set new standards of good governance, development and prosperity,” he added.

In a separate ruling during the hearing of the scrapping of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul called for an impartial investigation into human rights abuses in Jammu and Kashmir since the 1980s. Justice Kaul emphasised the original intent of Article 370, stating its aim was to gradually integrate Jammu and Kashmir into India.

BTS’ RM, V, Jungkook and Jimin have enlisted in the military on December 11 and 12. Before the enlistment, V had shared a snap of himself on a video call with Jungkook. The two are shirtless in the screenshot. Needless to say, the pic has gone viral.

The picture, shared by V sees the members shirtless and sporting buzz cuts ahead of their mandatory military service. Check it out here:

On Monday, V also shared a snap of himself on his Instagram handle. Dropping a picture of himself holding up a coffee container, he wrote, “I’ll be back.” 

RM also penned a lengthy note for ARMYs to bid them goodbye. Read all about it here: 

BTS’ RM pens heartfelt note for ARMYs ahead of military enlistment: “Goodbye for a little while”

After Jin, J-Hope and Suga enlisted in the military, RM, V, Jungkook and Jimin have also enrolled for service. Fans can look forward to the idol group coming back together by 2025.

Hours before the Supreme Court’s Article 370 Judgment backing the Centre’s move to scrap Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, senior lawyer Kapil Sibal posted that “some battles were fought to be lost”.

Kapil Sibal was the counsel for petitioners who had challenged the scrapping of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status under Article 370 of the Constitution, in August 2019.
 
“Some battles are fought to be lost. For history must record the uncomfortable facts for generations to know. The right and wrong of institutional actions will be debated for years to come,” Kapil Sibal posted on X – formerly known as Twitter.

Courts

Some battles are fought to be lost

For history must record the uncomfortable facts for generations to know

The right and wrong of institutional actions will be debated for years to come

History alone is the final arbiter
of the moral compass of historic decisions

— Kapil Sibal (@KapilSibal) December 11, 2023

In a historic judgment, the Supreme Court not only upheld the Centre’s order to abrogate Article 370, but also said Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood should be restored at the earliest and elections must be held by September 30 next year.

“The President had the power to issue a notification declaring that Article 370(3) ceases to operate without the recommendation of the Constituent Assembly. The continuous exercise of power under Article 370(1) by the President indicates that the gradual process of constitutional integration was ongoing,” Chief Justice DY Chandrachud said while pronouncing the verdict.

A five-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Chandrachud also upheld the validity of the decision to carve out the union territory of Ladakh.

The petitioners opposing the repeal of Article 370 had been insisting that the provision could not have been scrapped, as the term of the Jammu and Kashmir Constituent Assembly, whose concurrence was required before taking such a step, ended in 1957, after it had drafted the erstwhile state’s Constitution.

With the constituent assembly having become extinct, Article 370 acquired a permanent status, they had contended.

The Centre had argued that its decisions were taken within the legal framework. It had also contended that the mainstreaming of Jammu and Kashmir has reduced terrorism and provided a level playing field.

Over the last four years, it has helped move the erstwhile state on the fast-track to development, the government had argued.

Jammu and Kashmir was split into two Union Territories after the abrogation of Article 370, over a year after the PDP-BJP alliance government had collapsed.