Mushtaq Bala
A Temporary Status that Stretches into Years
The Union Territory status of Jammu and Kashmir, imposed in August 2019, was declared temporary by the Union Government. Repeated assurances were made—on the floor of Parliament and in public statements—that full statehood would be restored at an “appropriate time.”
But nearly six years later, that time remains undefined. The promises remain unfulfilled, despite clear judicial directions, a peaceful and democratic electoral mandate, and repeated appeals by constitutional and political voices.
Eminent Citizens Knock on the Supreme Court’s Door
In a compelling new development, five eminent petitioners—including a former Union Home Secretary, senior defence officers, and a former government interlocutor—have urged the Supreme Court of India to take suo motu cognizance of this prolonged delay.
Their open letter to Chief Justice of India BR Gavai reflects deep constitutional concern. They argue that the continued imposition of direct central rule in J&K undermines India’s federal structure and risks setting a dangerous precedent for state power erosion nationwide.
They cite the 2023 Supreme Court verdict, which upheld the abrogation of Article 370 but clearly stated that statehood should be restored “at the earliest.” That “earliest” moment has long passed.
A Misplaced Justification?
The Centre may point to recent security challenges, like the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack, as justification for delaying the statehood process. But this, as both petitioners and political observers argue, is a flawed premise.
Democracy thrives best when people are empowered, not excluded. The October 2024 Assembly elections, with their record voter turnout and peaceful conduct, showed that J&K’s people are ready to govern themselves through their elected representatives.
Disempowered Government, Eroded Democracy
Despite the electoral mandate, the National Conference-led government remains sidelined. The Lieutenant Governor’s administration reportedly bypasses the elected Chief Minister in key areas like security briefings, policy formulation, and top bureaucratic appointments.
This governance model contradicts the very spirit of representative democracy, rendering the elected leadership ineffective. With no functioning Human Rights Commission, and little legislative oversight over police functioning, accountability mechanisms are severely compromised.
Congress Steps Up the Fight
Amid growing public disillusionment, the J&K unit of the Congress Party has now decided to intensify its push for statehood.
At a meeting of district coordinators in Jammu on Wednesday, PCC President Tariq Hameed Karra declared that the time had come to fulfill the promises made by the Centre before Parliament and the Supreme Court.
“The people of Jammu and Kashmir are suffering due to the double control system… The time has come to fulfill the promises made,”
— Tariq Hameed Karra, JKPCC President.
The party’s ‘Hamari Riyasat, Hamara Haq’ movement will be escalated in the run-up to the Monsoon Session of Parliament (July 21), with the demand that a statehood restoration bill be introduced and passed.
The Time to Act Is Now
The initial calm after elections is giving way to rising frustration. People feel disconnected from power, their aspirations muffled in bureaucratic silence.
Restoring full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir is no longer a matter of political debate. It is a constitutional imperative, a democratic necessity, and an act of long-overdue justice.
By restoring the people’s political agency, the Indian state will reaffirm its federal commitment and the values enshrined in the Constitution.
The Supreme Court now stands at a historic juncture—with both a moral duty and a constitutional responsibility to set a time-bound roadmap for restoring full statehood to J&K.
Let us not look to a vague future.
Let us look to now.
Mushtaq Bala is Editor-in-Chief of Kashmir Pen, an award-winning filmmaker, cultural commentator, and advocate for peace through narrative media.
