Jammu-Kashmir News: Will JK get statehood? Supreme Court will hear the petition on August 8

Jammu-Kashmir News: According to a report by Live Law, the Supreme Court will hear on Friday, August 8, 2025, a petition seeking direction to the Central government to restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. The petition has been filed by college teacher Zahoor Ahmad Bhat and social activist Khurshid Ahmad Malik. The matter was raised by senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan before Chief Justice of India BR Gavai, who accepted the request to list the date of hearing.

Historical background

On August 5, 2019, the Central government revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 and divided the state into two Union Territories—Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The decision was upheld by the Supreme Court in December 2023, but the Constitution Bench refrained from passing judgement on the constitutionality of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. The court then noted the assurance of the Solicitor General that statehood would be restored "at the earliest", though no definite time-frame was set.

Grounds of petition

The petition claims that the central government has not taken any concrete steps towards restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir in the 11 months since the December 2023 decision, even though assembly elections have been held peacefully in the region. The petitioners are represented by advocate-on-record Ejaz Maqbool, who has sought the court's intervention on the basis of this delay.

Political reactions

On the completion of six years of turning Jammu and Kashmir into a Union Territory, the Congress party has announced to observe "Black Day" on August 5. The party will organize dharnas to protest against the decision and press for restoration of statehood. On the other hand, recent high-level meetings—including discussions between President Draupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday, and a meeting of NDA MPs on Tuesday—have fuelled speculation that the central government may soon begin the process of restoring statehood.