Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has pledged to fight for the restoration of statehood if he wins the upcoming Lok Sabha election. Azad, contesting from the Anantnag-Rajouri constituency under his Democratic Progressive Azad Party, aims to lead the charge for full statehood in Parliament. He rejects the idea of a limited statehood akin to Delhi and Pondicherry, advocating instead for the historical status of J&K under Mughal, Sikh, and Dogra rule. Azad emphasizes the need to continue the fight for statehood, Article 370, and 35 (A).
Article 3 of the Constitution, that deals with formation of new states and alteration of areas, boundaries or names of existing states, requires the President to necessarily refer such a law to the state legislature concerned for “expressing its views.”
In ‘SR Bommai v Union of India’, the Supreme Court interpreted Article 356 of the Constitution, which contains provisions for the imposition of President’s rule in a state. What is this case’s relevance to the SC’s latest verdict on Article 370?