Thursday, April 23, 2009

Article 370 ...Part 1 (the meaning)

The Congress spokesperson, Ms Jayanti Natarajan, has been a regular figure in the various election debates, hosted by the prominent news channels over the last one month. She is impressive in her articulation & has a distinct style of her own, twitching her eyes & fidgeting a bit while giving her views. BJP in their Election Manifesto have said that they would remove the Article 370 on J&K if voted to power, & Jayanti has been extremely strong in her comments saying that BJP is being communal to make such claims. It would be extremely hurting for the sentiments of the Muslim minority if article 370 is being removed!!!

So let us examine the much spoken about Article 370. Below given is a clear cut -paste version of the Article :

On 17 October 1949, Indian Constituent Assembly adopted Article 370 of the Constitution ensuring special status and internal autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir. It clearly states that the provisions of this Article with respect to the State of J&K are only ‘temporary’ and not permanent. The Article became operative on 17 November 1952. Government of India, while adopting Article 370, made a commitment that the people of the state, through their own Constituent Assembly, would determine the internal constitution and the nature and extent of the jurisdiction of the India Union over the state, and until the decision of the Constituent Assembly of the State, the Constitution of India could only provide an interim arrangement regarding the state i.e. October 1949 to November 1952.
The political reason for giving this special status to J&K appears to be, that firstly, India accepted that it was a disputed territory and as per the UN mandate a fair and impartial plebiscite was required to be held in the state. Secondly, by providing the people of the state with special privileges, it would serve to win their ‘hearts and minds’.

Article 370 of the Constitution of India
{ Temporary provisions with respect of the State of Jammu and Kashmir }
1. Notwithstanding anything in this Constitution: a. the provisions of article 238 shall not apply in relation to the State of Jammu and Kashmir,
b. the power of Parliament to make laws for the said State shall be limited to;
i. those matters in the Union List and the Concurrent List which, in consultation with the Government of the State, are declared by the President to correspond to matters specified in the Instrument of Accession governing the accession of the State to the Dominion of India as the matters with respect to which the Dominion Legislature may make laws for that State; and
ii. such other matters in the said Lists, as, with the concurrence of the Government of the State, the President may by order specify.
Explanation—For the purpose of this article, the Government of the State means the person for the time being recognised by the President as the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir acting on the advice of the Council of Ministers for the time being in office under the Maharaja’s Proclamation dated the fifth day of March, 1948;
c.the provisions of article 1 and of this article shall apply in relation to this State;
d.such of the other provisions of this Constitution shall apply in relation to that State subject to such exceptions and modifications as the President may by order specify
i. Provided that no such order which relates to the matters specified in the Instrument of Accession of the State referred to in paragraph (i) of sub-clause (b) shall be issued except in consultation with the Government of the State:
ii. Provided further that no such order which relates to matters other than those referred to in the last preceding proviso shall be issued except with the concurrence of the Government.
2. If the concurrence of the Government of the State referred to in paragraph (ii) of sub-clause (b) of clause (1) or in second proviso to sub-clause (d) of that clause be given before the Constituent Assembly for the purpose of framing the Constitution of the State is convened, it shall be placed before such Assembly for such decision as it may take thereon.
3. Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing provisions of the article, the President may, by public notification, declare that this article shall cease to be operative or shall be operative only with such exceptions and modifications and from such date as he may notify: Provided that the recommendation of the Constituent Assembly of the State referred to in clause (2) shall be necessary before the President issues such a notification.
4. In exercise of the powers conferred by this article the President, on the recommendation of the Constituent Assembly of the State of Jammu and Kashmir, declared that, as from the 17th day of November, 1952, the said art. 370 shall be operative with the modification that for the explanation in cl.(1) thereof the following Explanation is substituted namely:
Explanation—For the purpose of this Article, the Government of the State means the person for the time being recognised by the President on the recommendation of the Legislative Assembly of the State as the *Sadar-I-Riyasat of Jammu and Kashmir, acting on the advice of Council of Ministers of the State for the time being in office.

................to be continued !!!!! (please keep reading)

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