Article 370 temporary provision in Constitution: Govt tells RS

The government on Wednesday said Article 370, which provides for special status to Jammu and Kashmir, is a temporary provision in the Constitution and Article 35A, which gives special rights to the natives of the state, was added through a Constitution order issued by the President of India.

Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy told Rajya Sabha that at present, Article 370 is contained as a temporary provision with respect to Jammu and Kashmir in Part XXI (Temporary, Transitional and Special Provisions) of the Constitution.

“At present, Article 35A is contained in the Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order, 1954 which was added through the Constitution Order issued by the President of India under Article 370,” he said in a written reply.

Reddy said Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and matters relating to the Constitution are internal and entirely for the Parliament to deal with.

“No foreign government or organisation has any locus standi in the matter,” he said. The reply came in response to a question on whether the government is going to repeal articles 370 and 35A and whether repeal of these articles in any way violate United Nations regulations or any international obligation of the country.

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