Union Home Minister Amit Shah has reiterated the central government's commitment to restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, though he refrained from providing a specific timeline. Speaking at the Times Now Summit 2025, Shah emphasized that the assurance of statehood remains intact but declined to disclose when it would be implemented, stating that such details could not be shared in public forums.

Highlighting the peaceful conduct of last year’s assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, Shah described it as a significant achievement. He noted that for the first time in 40 years, elections were conducted without re-polling, violence, or the use of tear gas or bullets. With a voter turnout of 60%, he characterised this as a transformative moment for the region.

The restoration of statehood has been a recurring promise since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, which led to the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories. At that time, Shah assured Parliament that statehood would be restored at an appropriate time. Political parties in Jammu and Kashmir have increasingly demanded full statehood, with leaders like Omar Abdullah recently meeting Shah to discuss the issue. Despite these discussions and assurances, no concrete timeline has been provided for its implementation.

Agencies