NEW DELHI: As the nation gears up for the upcoming Lok Sabha and meeting elections, an interesting journey by India’s political panorama beckons us to revisit a time when the subcontinent was fragmented into 565 princely states earlier than liberating itself from British colonial rule. These indigenous realms, staunch advocates of sovereign governance, posed a major problem to the imaginative and prescient of a unified India. Amidst the mosaic of territories comprising ‘Territories of British India,’ ‘Princely states,’ and colonial outposts of France and Portugal, the post-independence period witnessed a outstanding transition.
Following India’s independence, a overwhelming majority of 562 princely states pledged allegiance to the Indian Confederation, with notable exceptions like Hyderabad, Junagadh, Bhopal, and Kashmir.
The post-independence interval witnessed a fluidity within the boundaries of Indian states. From the preliminary rely of 565 princely states and 17 provinces earlier than partition, the panorama morphed into 14 states and 6 Union Territories submit the 1956 Reorganisation of States. Subsequently, this quantity burgeoned to 29 states and seven union territories by 2014, culminating within the bifurcation of Jammu & Kashmir, main to twenty-eight states and 9 Union Territories.
Of vital historic be aware is the erstwhile state of Jammu & Kashmir, which retained its personal Prime Minister and Sadr-e-Riyasat (Head of State) till 1965. The modification to the J&Okay Constitution in 1965, beneath the Sixth Constitution of the J&Okay Amendment Act, marked a pivotal second. The positions of Prime Minister and Sadr-e-Riyasat have been supplanted by the Chief Minister and Governor, respectively, by the Congress authorities of the time.
Jammu & Kashmir’s political saga unfolds with a solid of notable figures. Sir Albion Banerjee, appointed by Dogra ruler Maharaja Hari Singh, served as the primary Prime Minister. His tenure was succeeded by a succession of leaders, together with Mehr Chand Mahajan and Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, who transitioned from Head of the Administration to Prime Minister.
However, the political panorama of J&Okay witnessed tumultuous shifts, epitomized by the arrest of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah beneath Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s directives. Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad succeeded him, adopted by Khwaja Shamsuddin and Congress chief Ghulam Mohammad Sadiq.It was throughout Sadiq’s tenure that the Central authorities orchestrated the transformation, marking the daybreak of a brand new period with Sadiq assuming the mantle of the primary Chief Minister.
The constitutional evolution of J&Okay noticed the emergence of the Sadr-e-Riyasat, a place imbued with vital electoral significance. However, subsequent amendments and political negotiations led to its eventual demise, with Karan Singh serving as the only Sadr-e-Riyasat till its abolition in 1965, concurrently turning into the inaugural Governor.
The intricacies of Jammu & Kashmir’s constitutional journey have been the topic of authorized and political discourse. The Sixth Amendment to the J&Okay Constitution ushered in substantial structural modifications, delineating the roles of Sadr-e-Riyasat and the Governor, albeit amidst contentious debates.
In 1975, a Presidential Order, issued beneath Article 370, restricted the J&Okay Legislature from altering the constitutional provisions relating to the appointment and powers of the Governor.
In a landmark ruling in December 2015, the J&Okay High Court deemed the conversion of Sadr-e-Riyasat into Governor unconstitutional, underscoring the importance of ‘elective’ standing in preserving the state’s constitutional autonomy.
The clamour for reinstating J&K’s autonomy to its authentic 1953 place reverberates by its main political events, notably the National Conference, spearheaded by Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah. However, makes an attempt at restoration have been met with political resistance, underscoring the complexities entrenched throughout the area’s constitutional narrative.
