The former state of Jammu and Kashmir is the only Muslim-majority region in India whose government wants to integrate more closely into the Hindu-majority country by withdrawing partial autonomy. This special status gives the Himalayan region its own constitution and broad political powers.
By revoking the special status, Prime Minister Narendra Modi fulfilled an election promise in 2019. To prevent protests, the army was deployed to restrict people’s freedom of movement in the Kashmir region. Internet and telephone connections also barely worked there for a long time.
The move sparked a new crisis with neighboring Muslim-majority Pakistan, which also claims the region. Both countries control parts of Kashmir. The Kashmir conflict has been going on for more than 70 years – since the former colonial empire of British India became independent and split into India and Pakistan. Nuclear powers are already waging war in the region.
As a result of the revocation of the special status, politicians and activists, among others, applied to the court to review the constitutionality of the move. The decision is likely to strengthen Modi’s Hindu nationalist party, the BJP, ahead of elections next year. The judges also ordered the election commission on Monday to hold regional elections in the Himalayan region in September.
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