- Union Home Minister has said that Articles 370 and Article 35A should be reviewed and scrapped.
- This statement came after National Conference leader had said that his party will bring back the autonomy of Jammu and Kashmir that could include having a Sadar-e-Riyasat(President) and Wazir-e-Azam(Prime Minister).
- J&K had its own Sadar-e-Riyasat(President) and Wazir-e-Azam(Prime Minister) until 1965 when the J&K Constitution was amended (Sixth Constitution of J&K Amendment Act, 1965) by the then government which replaced the two positions with Chief Minister and Governor respectively.
- Article 370 is a temporary provision granting special autonomous status to Jammu and Kashmir. It specifies that a) except for Defence,Foreign Affairs,Finance and Communications the Indian Parliament needs the State Government’s concurrence for applying all other laws b) the residuary powers belong to the Legislature of the State and c) No preventive detention law made in India extends to Jammu & Kashmir.
- Article 35-A was incorporated in the Constitution in 1954 through Presidential order.It gives the Jammu and Kashmir Legislature a complete freedom to decide,who are all ‘Permanent Residents’ of the State.Article 35-A provides them(a) special rights and privileges in public sector jobs (b) acquisition of property in the State and (c)scholarships as well as public aid and welfare.
