Rajya Sabha passes Bill to convert J-K into UTs

Rajya Sabha on Monday passed the Bill to convert Jammu and Kashmir into a union territory and to carve out Ladakh as another UT.

The Jammu and Kashmir (Reorganisation) Bill 2019 was passed with 125 in favour and 61 against in a division pressed by the Opposition after Home Minister Amit Shah assured the House that Jammu and Kashmir restored the status of a state once the situation normalises.

Replying to the debater on the Bill, Shah said Article 370 was the biggest hurdle in normalising the affairs in the border state and vote bank politics was the main reason for the provision survive all these while.

He appealed to the members to rise above vote bank politics and support the measure.

Shah said Article 370 was also the main reason for terrorism to have sustained for long and said the menace would soon be eliminated.

He also told the House that in five years time Jammu and Kashmir would be the most developed entity in the country.