Call for Restoration: Jammu and Kashmir's Battle for Autonomy

Newly-elected lawmakers in Jammu and Kashmir have passed a resolution urging the Indian federal government to restore the region's partial autonomy, a demand likely to be rejected by Prime Minister Modi's administration. This comes after the 2019 revocation of Kashmir's special status, which ignited significant opposition.

In a significant move, lawmakers in Jammu and Kashmir passed a resolution demanding the restoration of the region's partial autonomy, a position the central government is expected to dismiss. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration had revoked the territory's special status in 2019, causing widespread opposition and arrests.

The scrapping of Jammu and Kashmir's autonomy split the area into federally governed territories, leading to international criticism and local unrest, especially in the disputed Kashmir Valley, where a prolonged insurgency has claimed numerous lives.

The region, now governed by an opposition alliance after recent elections, continues to challenge Modi's long-standing policies as it seeks to reclaim constitutional safeguards removed four years ago, amid persistent geopolitical tensions with Pakistan.

(With inputs from agencies.)