Fulfil the promise
The Hindu editorial argues that the Union government should restore full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir without further delay.
- Jammu and Kashmir has remained under Union Territory status since the 2019 constitutional and administrative changes.
- The Union government promised the Supreme Court that Jammu and Kashmir statehood would be restored.
- The Union government has delayed the promise to restore Jammu and Kashmir statehood for more than two and a half years.
- Union Territory status keeps an elected Jammu and Kashmir government subordinate to a Lieutenant Governor with extensive control over administration, police, and institutions.
The Hindu editorial treats statehood restoration as a constitutional and democratic issue, not a discretionary political favour. It argues that Union Territory status keeps an elected government subordinate to an unelected Lieutenant Governor who controls major areas of administration, police, and institutions.
UPSC can frame Jammu and Kashmir statehood around constitutional federalism, the distribution of executive authority between an elected government and a Lieutenant Governor, and the political and security trade-offs in restoring statehood. A Mains answer can also examine whether prolonged Union Territory status weakens democratic accountability and deepens alienation in border regions.
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