Prez gives nod to Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2019

President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday gave his nod to the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2019, making it into law.

Earlier this week, the Parliament had passed the Jammu and Kashmir (Reorganisation) Bill, 2019 with 370 votes in its favour and 70 against it. The Parliament also passed the resolution revoking Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

The reorganisation bill provides for the formation of the Union Territory of Ladakh without legislature and a separate one for Jammu and Kashmir with the legislature.

Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh will come into existence as separate Union Territories on October 31.

"On and from the appointed day, there shall be formed a new Union territory to be known as the Union territory of Ladakh comprising the following territories of the existing State of Jammu and Kashmir, namely, Kargil and Leh districts and thereupon the said territories shall cease to form part of the existing state of Jammu and Kashmir," said the Gazette notification of the government.

There shall be formed a new Union territory to be known as the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir comprising the territories of the existing State of Jammu and Kashmir other than those specified in section 3 of the Act.

The Governor of the existing State of Jammu and Kashmir shall be the Lieutenant Governor for the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, and Union territory of Ladakh for such period as may be determined by the President, it said.

Earlier in the day, the administration withdrew Section 144 from Jammu and announced that schools will open on Saturday.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that the nation took a historic decision by scrapping article 370 which will ensure equal rights and duties for the citizens of Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh.

"As a country and as a family, we have taken a historic decision. One such arrangement because of which people of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh were deprived of various right and which was a big obstacle to their development. That system has been done away with," he had said.

PM Modi had hailed the passage of key bills pertaining to Jammu and Kashmir, and asserted that the move will bring a better tomorrow for people of the Valley, who, he said, will now be free from the shackles of 'vested interest groups'.