Restrictions in parts of Kashmir to prevent Muharram processions, violence

The officials did not cite any reasons for reimposing restrictions but it is believed that the step was taken to prevent Muharram processions in the city and elsewhere in the Valley

Curfew-like restrictions were reimposed on Tuesday in several parts of Kashmir, including the city, to foil any plans on taking out Muharram processions in the Valley as authorities apprehended that large congregations might lead to violence.

Commercial hub of Lal Chowk and adjoining areas were completely sealed off by placing concertina wires at all entry points where large number of security force personnel were deployed, officials said. Restrictions have been in several parts of Kashmir as a precautionary measure for maintaining law and order in the Valley, they said.

The officials did not cite any reasons for reimposing restrictions but it is believed that the step was taken to prevent Muharram processions in the city and elsewhere in the Valley. The processions stand banned in Kashmir since 1990 when armed insurgency began.

Muharram is considered as one of the sacred months of the Islamic lunar calendar. The battle of Karbala, in which Hazrat Imam Hussain – the grandson of the Prophet – had attained martyrdom – is said to have been taken place in the 7th century.

Restrictions were first imposed across Kashmir on August 5 when the Centre announced its decision to abrogate provisions of Article 370 and bifurcate the state into union territories. The restrictions were lifted in phases from many parts of the Valley as the situation improved with passage of time.

Article 370 provisions scrapped: J&K, Ladakh may get share of central funds

The official added that it isn’t immediately clear if the 15th Finance Commission will be given additional terms of reference or more time to adjust

As a direct result of the Narendra Modi government’s decision to turn Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh into two separate union territories, the Fifteenth Finance Commission (FFC) is likely to allocate sums from the divisible tax pool to 28 states, instead of 29. The allocations for the two union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are expected to come out of the Centre’s liabilities, Business Standard has learnt.

“It now becomes 28 states instead of 29, and according to the standard practice and the Terms of Reference, the requirements of union territories have to be counted as part of liabilities of the Centre. The devolution of the tax pool will have to be recalculated from 29 states to 28,” said an official aware of the working of the FFC.

The official added that it isn’t immediately clear if the FFC will be given additional terms of reference or more time to adjust for the conversion of the state of Jammu and Kashmir to two separate union territories. All this is of course subject to the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Bill being passed in Rajya Sabha (will change once passed) and it withstanding any challenge in the Supreme Court.

As reported earlier, FFC Chairman N K Singh has ruled out including UTs with legislative bodies, like Delhi and Puducherry, in the divisible tax-pool in-line with other states, even after getting representations to do so. “We are not formally considering the memorandum of Puducherry and Delhi because under the Constitution, we are not enjoined to do so, and we have to strictly act in accordance with the Constitution,” Singh had told Business Standard in an interaction earlier this month…

Kashmir 2.0 in Modi 2.0: Five key points you shouldn’t miss on J&K, Ladakh

Rajya Sabha on Monday approved a resolution revoking the special constitutional status of Jammu and Kashmir and passed a Bill to split the state into two Union Territories.

Jammu and Kashmir LIVE updates: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government on Monday moved a resolution in the Rajya Sabha to abrogate the Article 370 of the Constitution, which gave a special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. It was approved by the Upper House amid protests by the Opposition.

Today, the Lok Sabha will take up the resolution and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill. According to the terms of the new resolution moved by Home Minister Amit Shah, while Jammu and Kashmir will be a Union Territory with a Legislative Assembly, the Ladakh region will be a Union Territory without any legislative powers. Since the government has a comfortable majority in the House, these are unlikely to face any hurdles.

Rajya Sabha on Monday approved a resolution revoking the special constitutional status of Jammu and Kashmir and passed a Bill to split the state into two Union Territories, as Home Minister Amit Shah promised to restore full statehood after normalcy is restored in the militancy-hit region.

Under Article 370 of the Constitution, Jammu and Kashmir enjoyed complete autonomy and the state legislature was free to draft its own laws except in the areas of communications, defense, finance, and foreign affairs. Also, Indian citizens were prohibited from purchasing land in the state. So, what exactly will change in J&K if the Lok Sabha today passes the Reorganisation Bill?

Kashmir updates: BJP issues whip to MPs, Opposition meet at 10:30 am

Jammu and Kashmir issue: Ex-chief ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti are believed to have been put under house arrest. Schools and colleges will remain closed today

Kashmir Live Updates: Amid an unprecedented lockdown in Jammu and Kashmir, as uncertainty looms large over a build-up of troops in the valley, the Union Cabinet on Monday met at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence. Union Home Minister Amit Shah and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval were among the leaders present in the high-level meeting.

The meeting comes after political leaders in Jammu and Kashmir including former Chief Ministers Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti and Jammu and Kashmir People’s Conference chairman Sajad Lone, were placed under house arrest as strict restrictions were imposed in the Kashmir Valley from early Monday morning.

Panic gripped the Valley after the government imposed restrictions and curfews in several districts of Jammu and Kashmir. Schools and colleges will remain closed today. There would be a complete bar on holding any kind of public meeting or rally. The government imposed restrictions under Section 144 of the CrPC in Srinagar district with effect from Sunday midnight as a precautionary measure, officials said.

Tral encounter: Al Qaeda affiliate Zakir Musa killed, curfew in Kashmir

Musa, who is believed to have been killed in the gunfight with security forces, was the so-called head of the Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind

Musa, who is accepted to have been murdered in the gunfight with security powers, was the alleged leader of the Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind Check in time was forced in parts of Kashmir on Friday, multi day after Zakir Musa, the purported head of a gathering associated to the Al-Qaeda, was accepted to have been killed in an experience with security powers in Tral.

Instructive organizations have been shut and time limitation was forced in spots in Kashmir as a careful step, following the Thursday episode, authorities said. Web was additionally shutdown, they said. Musa, who is accepted to have been slaughtered in the gunfight with security powers, was the purported leader of the Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind.

Two fear based oppressors were slaughtered in the experience in a town south Kashmir’s Tral territory however there was no affirmation about their characters. Nonetheless, Zakir Musa‘s family affirmed that he was available at the site. Unconstrained challenges had broken out in Shopian, Pulwama, Awantipora and downtown Srinagar, with individuals bringing trademarks up for Musa.

Senior police authorities had said security powers had propelled a cordon and inquiry task at Dadsara town and when the psychological militants attempted to get away, a gunfight broke out. They had said endeavors were made to make them surrender yet the solicitation failed to be noticed and the stayed psychological militants began hurling projectiles utilizing a launcher.

The authorities had said greater security powers were hurried to the zone to keep the fear based oppressors from getting away under the front of haziness. On Thursday, the Jammu and Kashmir Police declared confinements in certain territories of Pulwama, Awantipora, Srinagar, Anantnag and Budgam as a prudent step. The authorities said the choice was made keeping in view the Friday supplication social events.