The
previous assembly elections were held in November–December 2014. After the election, coalition of
Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party and
Bharatiya Janata Party formed the
state government, with
Mufti Mohammad Sayeed becoming the
Chief Minister. Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed died on 7 January 2016. After a brief period of Governor's rule,
Mehbooba Mufti was sworn in as the next Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir.
Political developments Dissolution of assembly and President's rule In June 2018, BJP withdrew its support to the
PDP-led government and Governor's rule was subsequently imposed in Jammu and Kashmir. In November 2018, the
state assembly was dissolved by
Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Satya Pal Malik. despite the fact that many political parties had written to the Governor expressing their willingness to form the Government.
President's rule was imposed on 20 December 2018.
Revocation of Article 370 and reorganisation of state In 2019,
Article 370 of the Constitution of India, which gave special status to the
disputed Jammu and Kashmir, was
abrogated and the
Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act was passed to reconstitute the
state of Jammu and Kashmir into
union territory of
Jammu and Kashmir and
Ladakh with effect from 31 October 2019. The changes allowed Hindu refugees residing in
Jammu who were displaced from Pakistan following
Partition in 1947 to vote in state elections.
Delimitation In March 2020, a three-member Delimitation Commission was formed, chaired by retired Justice
Ranjana Prakash Desai, for the delimitation of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The commission published its interim report in February 2022. The final delimitation report was released on 5 May 2022 under which additional 6 seats were added to
Jammu division and 1 seat to
Kashmir division. After delimitation, the total seats in the assembly rose to 114 seats, out of which 24 seats are designated for areas that fall under
Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Out of the remaining 90 seats, 43 seats are in Jammu division and 47 seats are in the Kashmir division. The final delimitation report came into force from 20 May 2022. ====
DDC elections ==== In 2020, DDC elections were held after revocation of special status.
People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) secured 110 seats, while BJP was the single largest party with 75 seats.
Supreme Court verdict on abrogation on Article 370 On 11 December 2023, the
Supreme Court in its verdict upheld the abrogation of article 370 as constitutional and ordered the
Election Commission of India to hold legislative assembly elections in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir before 30 September 2024.
Reservation for SC/STs The parliament passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill 2023 which provides for reservation of 7 seats for the Scheduled Castes and 9 seats for the Scheduled Tribes. ====
Jammu and Kashmir lithium reserves ==== On 2 May 2024, Ministry of Mines secretary Vivek Bharadwaj announced that an auction to assign mining rights was planned on priority basis by December 2024. Former minister and
JKNPP president
Harsh Dev Singh, challenged the legal premise, upon which the federal government planned to assign mineral rights valued at
US$500 billion (half a trillion dollars). On 29 May 2023, Harsh Dev, stated that in accordance to
Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act 1957, only a federated state or union territory government had the lawful right to hold auctions and assign mining concessions for minerals found on land. In December 2023, the first attempt to auction Jammu and Kashmir lithium failed. As the auction only received two bids, as per legislation a minimum of three bids is required for the auction to be considered valid. In July 2024 a second attempt by the central Indian government of auction Jammu and Kashmir's lithium failed to receive any bids. == Schedule ==