Article 370 & 35A

Article 370 granted temporary special status to Jammu and Kashmir within the Indian constitutional framework, while Article 35A empowered the state's legislature to define permanent residents and accord them exclusive rights.

Under Indian Polity & Governance

• The removal of these provisions redefined the boundaries of asymmetric federalism in India by establishing uniform applicability of the Constitution across all territories.
• The procedural route adopted for abrogation raised fundamental questions regarding the presidential power to alter constitutional arrangements during President's Rule.
• It restructured the administrative and security apparatus of the region by reorganising the state into two Union Territories under direct central governance.

UPSC typically frames questions around the constitutional validity of using executive orders for major structural changes and the legal doctrine of asymmetric federalism. Candidates are expected to analyze the judicial review of the abrogation, specifically focusing on constitutional propriety, state assent, and Article 3 procedures. Questions may also explore the administrative and security implications of transitioning a former state into Union Territories.

• Indian Constitution GS2
• Union and States GS2