Modi rejects lawmakers’ calls to restore occupied Kashmir’s partial autonomy

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed his government’s decision to revoke the partial autonomy of Indian-occupied Kashmir, stating that only the constitution of Babasaheb Ambedkar will now apply in the region. This decision, made in 2019, split the state into two federally administered territories, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. Despite the newly elected lawmakers in IoK seeking the restoration of autonomy, Modi emphasized that Article 370 will not be reinstated. The region’s new lawmakers can legislate on local issues, but decisions with financial implications require approval from the federally-appointed administrator. Kashmir has been a contentious issue between India and Pakistan since gaining independence in 1947, with both countries claiming the region.