Rights Forum Urges Restoration of J&K Statehood, Repeal of 2019 Reorganisation Act
A prominent civil rights group has renewed the debate over Jammu and Kashmir’s constitutional status by calling for the immediate restoration of full statehood and the repeal of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. The appeal came from the Forum for Human Rights in Jammu and Kashmir, co-chaired by former Union Home Secretary Gopal Krishna (G.K.) Pillai and former government interlocutor Radha Kumar, on the seventh anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370.
Releasing a detailed report in Srinagar, the Forum argued that the downgrading of Jammu and Kashmir from a full-fledged state to a Union Territory had weakened democratic governance, reduced institutional autonomy, and concentrated administrative authority in the office of the Lieutenant Governor. The report maintained that restoring statehood is essential for reviving representative government, strengthening accountability, and protecting constitutional federalism.
The Forum also called for the repeal of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, which bifurcated the erstwhile state into the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. According to the report, the legislation fundamentally altered the region’s constitutional framework by transferring significant legislative and administrative powers to the Union government, leaving the elected government with limited authority over key policy matters.
Former interlocutor Radha Kumar said the removal of statehood was inconsistent with constitutional principles and urged Parliament to restore it without further delay. Former Home Secretary G.K. Pillai similarly argued that the current governance structure has curtailed democratic institutions and called for the revival of mechanisms that would allow greater public participation in decision-making.
Beyond constitutional issues, the report raised concerns over human rights, political representation, land rights, employment safeguards, and the functioning of democratic institutions in the Union Territory. It recommended restoring independent commissions and strengthening legal protections to ensure greater transparency, accountability, and public confidence in governance.
The demand comes amid growing political pressure from several regional leaders who have also sought the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood. The Union government has repeatedly stated that statehood would be restored at an appropriate time after normalcy and the democratic process are fully established, though no timeline has been announced.
The latest report is expected to intensify the national debate over Jammu and Kashmir’s future constitutional framework. While its recommendations are not binding, they add to the ongoing political and legal discussions over governance in the region, with questions surrounding statehood continuing to remain a significant issue in Parliament, the judiciary, and public discourse.
