India's top court on Monday, December 11, upheld a move by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government to revoke the limited autonomy of Muslim-majority Kashmir, where an insurgency has raged for decades. The 2019 declaration was "a culmination of the process of integration and as such is a valid exercise of power," the Supreme Court said in its verdict.
The move was accompanied by the imposition of direct rule from New Delhi, mass arrests, a total lockdown and communication blackout that ran for months as India bolstered its armed forces in the region to contain protests.
Modi's muscular policy has been deeply controversial in Kashmir, but was widely celebrated across India, with the insurgency that claimed tens of thousands of lives over decades largely quietened. The move was challenged by Kashmir's pro-India political parties, the local Bar Association and individual litigants, culminating in Monday's verdict.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday welcomed a "historic" Supreme Court decision to uphold his government's revocation of the limited autonomy of Muslim-majority Kashmir. The ruling was "a beacon of hope, a promise of a brighter future and a testament to our collective resolve to build a stronger, more united India," the Hindu nationalist leader posted on X.
The court upheld removing the region's autonomy, but said Jammu & Kashmir should be restored to the same statehood as any other Indian state – with no separate autonomy rights – "at the earliest and as soon as possible." The court ordered state elections to take place by September 30, 2024.