The Supreme Court of India has scheduled a hearing on August 8, 2025, for a petition seeking the restoration of statehood to Jammu & Kashmir. The petitioners, including Zahoor Ahmed Bhat and activist Khurshaid, have requested the court to direct the central government to reinstate full state status to the Union Territory.(The Indian Express)
This development coincides with the sixth anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, which stripped Jammu & Kashmir of its special status and reorganised it into two Union Territories—Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. The Supreme Court’s unanimous ruling in December 2023 upheld the abrogation but also directed the government to restore statehood and conduct legislative assembly elections by September 2024.(Wikipedia)
Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, representing the petitioners, noted that the hearing comes amid prolonged delays in fulfilment of the court’s previous directive. The legal team has urged the court to consider issuing binding orders to restore governance structure and self-rule.(Hindustan Times)
