Why in News?

• Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Council, the upper house of the Assembly, has been abolished as per Section 57 of the J&K Reorganisation Bill, 2019, which reduced the State to the Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh.

About Legislative Council of J&K:

• The Council in J&K consists of 36 members, most of them were elected in an indirect manner and some of them were nominated by the Governor. This council also used to be a part of the electoral college for the Rajya Sabha elections.
• J & K council was created as per the J & K constitution and Part VI of Indian constitution was not applicable to Jammu & Kashmir.
• The first Legislature was established by the government of the then-Maharaja of Kashmir, Hari Singh, in 1934.
• In 1957, a new constitution was adopted by the constituent assembly and the Parliament of India passed the Legislative Councils Act.
• These two pieces of legislation created a bicameral legislature for Jammu and Kashmir.

Background:

• Revoking Art. 370

1.The government of India revoked Article 370 and the special status of Kashmir.

2.Now Jammu & Kashmir will be a Union Territory with a legislature while Ladakh will be a Union Territory without legislature.

3.Special features like a separate constitution, separate flag, and separate status will no more have effect after repealing Article 370.

• Article 35A scrapped

1.With the removal of Article 370, Article 35A will be also scrapped.

2.Now, people from other states may also buy or purchase land and settle there.

• Bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir

1.Jammu and Kashmir will be “reorganized” and will no longer be a state.

2.Ladakh will be a Union Territory without an assembly and Jammu and Kashmir will be a Union Territory with an assembly, under recommendation.

3.There will be two Lieutenant Governors when this provision will come into the Force.