Overview

• The Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing on August 8 for a petition demanding a deadline for restoring Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood.
• The October 2024 petition by academic Zahoor Ahmad Bhat and activist Khurshaid Ahmad Malik seeks a specified timeframe, ideally two months, for reinstating full state powers.
• In December 2023 the Supreme Court upheld the abrogation of Article 370 but left the question of restoring statehood open, ordering only assembly elections by September 2024.
• Officials in New Delhi have reiterated their commitment to restoring statehood but have not provided any concrete schedule despite government assurances in earlier court proceedings.
• September–October 2024 assembly elections brought Omar Abdullah’s National Conference to power, fueling regional demands for complete autonomy.