In a decisive 476-page verdict on December 11, 2023, the Supreme Court concluded a four-year legal battle over the reading down of Article 370, marking the end of Jammu and Kashmir's special status. The ruling, following 16 days of intense hearings, dismissed claims of Jammu and Kashmir's internal sovereignty and affirmed the temporary nature of Article 370 until the Constituent Assembly's establishment. Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, writing the majority opinion, emphasised the state's merger with India akin to other princely states. The court upheld the legality of presidential proclamations abrogating Article 370 and bifurcating the region into two union territories. While welcoming Ladakh as a Union Territory, the court ordered the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood by September 2024. The verdict sparked varied reactions across India, with political leaders expressing diverse sentiments, while uncertainties loom over the region's future course despite the resolution of the long-standing dispute.