India's highest court to listen to petition challenging Kashmir's status
Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) is on the brink of a significant political shift as the restoration of its full statehood is eagerly anticipated. The Deputy Chief Minister of J&K, Surinder Choudhary, has expressed hope that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will announce the restoration during his Independence Day address from the Red Fort on August 15, 2025 [2][3].
This development follows the Supreme Court's December 2023 ruling, which upheld the abrogation of Article 370 but directed the restoration of J&K’s statehood "at the earliest" [5]. The court's decision was in response to a petition filed by two residents of a Muslim-majority territory in the region.
The restoration process is politically significant because J&K was downgraded from a full state to two union territories (J&K and Ladakh) through the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act of 2019. This move, widely regarded by local leaders as arbitrary and lacking popular consent, has been a source of contention for many [1][2].
The BJP has ruled out any partial statehood or splitting the territory again [4]. Any restoration of statehood requires parliamentary approval, which is expected to be pursued during the current monsoon session [3].
In August 2019, the Indian government, led by Prime Minister Modi, revoked J&K's limited autonomy, a decision that was followed by mass arrests and a communications blackout that lasted for months [6]. Since then, the region has been governed by a New Delhi-appointed administrator.
The elections held in Kashmir last November were successful, with the regional assembly backed by opposition parties [7]. Despite the elected government's limited powers, protests demanding the restoration of J&K's special status have been held in the Himalayan territory [8].
The hearing in the Supreme Court regarding the restoration of J&K’s statehood is scheduled for August 8, 2023 [9]. As of early August 2025, the full restoration of J&K’s statehood is pending formal announcement and legislative action but remains a focused priority following the Supreme Court directive and ongoing political developments.
References:
- https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/8/5/india-revokes-kashmir-autonomy-in-move-widely-condemned
- https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-56184087
- https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kashmir/kashmir-statehood-restoration-likely-in-august-15-2025-surinder-choudhary/article65281798.ece
- https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/bjp-denies-rumours-of-splitting-jammu-kashmir-or-granting-only-jammu-full-statehood-2640845
- https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kashmir/supreme-court-upholds-abrogation-of-article-370-in-kashmir/article30188664.ece
- https://www.reuters.com/article/us-india-kashmir/indian-security-forces-deployed-in-force-in-kashmir-after-revocation-of-autonomy-idUSKCN1VX2Y5
- https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/11/kashmir-elections-held-first-time-decade-2019112712115731601.html
- https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/10/protests-demanding-restoration-of-kashmir-s-special-status-held-201021093725682.html
- https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kashmir/hearing-on-kashmir-statehood-petition-to-be-held-on-august-8-sc/article32591270.ece
- The restoration of J&K's statehood, a focus of political news and contentious discussions, is pending formal announcement and legislative action, following the Supreme Court's directive and ongoing development in the region.
- In the realm of crime and justice, a hearing regarding the restoration of J&K’s statehood is scheduled for August 8, 2023, as part of the larger policy-and-legislation process that continues to unfold.
- As India grapples with complexities in war-and-conflicts and politics, the anticipated restoration of J&K's full statehood remains a key point of discussion, particularly in light of the Supreme Court's December 2023 ruling and the ongoing general-news coverage.
