The Government of India on Wednesday said that Article 370, which provides for special status to Jammu and Kashmir, is a temporary provision in the Constitution and Article 35A, which gives special rights to the natives of the state, was added through a Constitution order issued by the President of India.
Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy told RajyaSabha that the Article 370 was a temporary provision with respect to Jammu andKashmir in Part XXI (Temporary, Transitional and Special Provisions) of theConstitution. “At present, Article 35A is contained in the Constitution(Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order, 1954 which was added through theConstitution Order issued by the President of India under Article 370,” he saidin a written reply.
Reddy said that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part ofIndia and matters relating to the Constitution are internal and entirely forthe Parliament to deal with. “No foreign government or organisation has anylocus standi in the matter,” he said.
The reply came in response to a question on whether thegovernment is going to repeal Articles 370 and 35A and whether repeal of thesearticles in any way violate United Nations regulations or any internationalobligation of the country.