Union Home Minister Amit Shah will introduce three bills in the Lok Sabha today, 20 August. A bill about ‘Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation’ sparked another buzz about the ‘restoration of statehood’ to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Bills seek to provide a legal framework for the removal of the Prime Minister or a Minister in the Union Council of Ministers and the Chief Minister or a Minister in the Council of States and Union Territories who is arrested or detained in custody on account of serious criminal charges.
The ‘List of Government Business on August 20 and 21’ in the Lok Sabha includes the introduction of the following Bills:
(i) The Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025;
(ii) The Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025;
(iii) The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2025;
(iv) The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025.
Some reports suggested that The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2025t would be about statehood restoration, but there was no official confirmation about what the bill would actually mean. The ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament is scheduled to run till 21 August.
JK Statehood annulled on 5 Aug, 2019
Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood was annulled on 5 August 2019 after Article 370 was abrogated. The erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir was bifurcated into two Union Territories – J&K and Ladakh.
A report by an onling news website said Shah has also marked the letter for the Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, the legislative department of the Ministry of Law and Justice, the Lok Sabha Secretariat, and the legislative office of the Lok Sabha.
SC grants 8 weeks to Centre
The Supreme Court on 14 August sought the central government’s response in 8 weeks on Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood petition. It said the situation in J&K cannot be overlooked while emphasising the recent Pahalgam terrorist attack, legal news website Bar and Bench reported.
The situation in J&K cannot be overlooked.
A Supreme Court bench comprising Chief Justice of India BR Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran heard the petition filed by college teacher Zahoor Ahmed Bhat and activist Khurshid Ahmad Malik.
The SC observed that the ground situation must be considered when restoring statehood. According to Bar and Bench, CJI BR Gavai said, “You cannot ignore what happened in Pahalgam.”
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah responded to the buzz with a ‘please I cant take this anymore GIF.’
Abdullah on earlier buzz
Abdullah had said on 5 August that he is optimistic about ‘something positive’ for the Union Territory during the ongoing parliament session, but not on Tuesday, amid buzz over the centre planning something on the Jammu and Kashmir ‘statehood’.
The National Conference leader’s remarks came on the eve of the sixth anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370 on 5 August. Abdullah clarified that he had no meeting or conversation with the people in Delhi, and his statement is based on his “gut feeling”.
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