In a historic turn of events, Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday was officially bifurcated into two Union Territories - Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Nearly three months after the Centre had announced the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, India now has a total of 9 Union Territories. According to the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, the appointed day for the two UTs was October 31 and these came into existence at midnight.
Has the map of India changed?
With the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories, the map of India will now be modified. India will now have a total of 28 states, while the number of Union Territories in the country will rise to 9.
New map of Jammu and Kashmir 
What has changed in Jammu and Kashmir?
- Central laws will be now be applied to Jammu and Kashmir
- All references as 'state of Jammu and Kashmir' will now be changed to 'Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir' or 'Union Territory of Ladakh'
- No lawsuit will be maintained for any action taken, any notification/order issued, rule or appointment made between August 5 and October 31, as these shall be deemed to be valid and operative as if such things had been done or actions taken in accordance with law
- The Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh will now be headed by lieutenant governors GC Murmu and R Mathur, respectively
- The Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir and the Ranbir Penal Code will cease to exist from today (October 31)
- The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir will have a legislature like Puducherry, while Ladakh will be a Union Territory without legislature like Chandigarh. Both the Union Territories will now be headed by two separate lieutenant governors (LG), as per the Act
- The Centre will be in direct control of the police and the law and order in Jammu and Kashmir from Thursday. The land, however, will be under the elected government. The Union Territory of Ladakh will be under the direct control of the Central government which will administer the high-altitude region through the LG
- Now, there will be 114 seats in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly as against 107 seats earlier. Strength of the council of ministers will be trimmed to 10 per cent of the total strength of the legislature
- The new Jammu and Kashmir Assembly will now have a term of five years, as against six years previously
- Both the Union Territories - Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh will have a common high court
- Ladakh shall now come under the ambit of the Union Public Service Commission or UPSC, for the recruitment of officers
- Laws related to the ownership of land and property in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir will now be amended and will be applicable
- The government employees of the new Union Territories -- Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh -- will receive salaries and other benefits as per the recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission
- The welfare schemes of the Centre will be applicable to the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh
- The police in these Union Territories will come under the direct control of the Ministry of Home Affairs
Jammu and Kashmir
Rules that remain same in Jammu and Kashmir
Laws like the J&K Bovine Breeding (Regulation of Production, Sale of Bovine Semen and Artificial Insemination) Act, 2018, the J&K Single Window (Industrial Investment and Business Facilitation) Act, 2018, the J&K Metropolitan Region Development Authorities Act, 2018 and the state National Law University Act, 2018 which are applicable to Kashmir are continued to be made applicable to the two UTs.
The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir will continue to have five MPs in the Lok Sabha and four MPs in the Rajya Sabha. The Union Territory of Ladakh, meanwhile will have one MP.
Jammu and Kashmir will continue to have Public Service Commission (PSC) as the recruiting agency for the gazetted services.
Also Read | Jammu and Kashmir no more a state; officially bifurcated into two UTs
Also Read | Jammu and Kashmir administration approves restructuring of Power Dept
