Indian-administered Kashmir assembly backs return to statehood

Indian-administered Kashmir's regional assembly endorsed the restoration of federal statehood on Monday. The non-binding resolution was condemned as "anti-national" by politicians from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which rules in New Delhi.

Is Kashmir's statehood restored after the assembly resolution?

No. The resolution urges New Delhi to restore full statehood but is not constitutionally binding. Kashmir has been governed under direct federal control since 2019, and its elected government has limited powers. The central government has promised restoration only at an "appropriate time."

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who introduced the resolution, said statehood was the territory's "right." The text calls on the government in New Delhi to ensure "the immediate and urgent restoration of full (federal) statehood to Jammu and Kashmir."

How did the BJP respond to the Kashmir statehood resolution?

Members of Modi's BJP staged a walkout before the vote. Many of them called the resolution "unconstitutional" and "anti-national."

The text also referred to resolutions demanding federal autonomy, passed in 2000 and 2024. All three resolutions are not constitutionally binding.

What powers does Kashmir's elected government have?

In 2024, Kashmir elected its first government since it was brought under New Delhi's direct control. The government is led by Abdullah's National Conference party.

The local government has limited powers, however. For all practical purposes, the territory continues to be governed by a Delhi-appointed administrator. The debate over rule in the Himalayan territory of around 13 million people has been contentious since Modi's Hindu nationalist government revoked Kashmir's limited autonomy in 2019.

Why is Kashmir disputed between India and Pakistan?

Muslim-majority Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since independence from British rule in 1947. Both countries claim it in full, and the nuclear-armed neighbors have fought several conflicts over it, most recently last year.

Rebel groups launched an insurgency in 1989 against Indian rule of Kashmir, demanding independence or its merger with Pakistan. About 500,000 Indian troops are deployed in the region.