SSC
Article 370 of the Constitution, whose provisions were made inoperative in August 2019, had granted a special status to:
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Answer: Option A — Jammu and Kashmir
Detailed Solution
Article 370, a "temporary provision" in Part XXI of the Constitution, granted a special autonomous status to the former state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Background:
- In October 1947, Maharaja Hari Singh, the ruler of Jammu and Kashmir, signed the Instrument of Accession with India, after an invasion by tribesmen from Pakistan.
- The Instrument gave India control over defence, external affairs and communications.
- Article 370 was included in the Constitution to define the relationship between the Union and the state.
Main features of Article 370:
- Parliament could make laws for the state only on the subjects in the Instrument of Accession, and on other subjects only with the concurrence of the state government.
- The state had its own constitution (adopted in 1956) and its own flag.
- Many provisions of the Indian Constitution did not apply to the state, or applied with modifications, through presidential orders.
- The state legislature could define "permanent residents" and give them special rights in land, jobs and scholarships.
Abrogation (2019):
On 5 August 2019, the President issued an order which applied all the provisions of the Indian Constitution to Jammu and Kashmir, and Parliament passed a resolution recommending that Article 370 be made inoperative except for one clause.
The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, divided the state into two Union Territories: Jammu and Kashmir (with a legislature) and Ladakh (without a legislature), with effect from 31 October 2019.
The Supreme Court's judgment (2023):
- In December 2023, a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court upheld the decision to abrogate Article 370, holding that it was a temporary provision.
- The Court directed that elections to the Legislative Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir be held, and that statehood be restored as soon as possible.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Punjab, Goa and Himachal Pradesh never had such a special status; Article 370 related only to Jammu and Kashmir.
Quick tip
Remember: Article 370 = special status of Jammu and Kashmir (made inoperative on 5 August 2019; upheld by the Supreme Court in December 2023); J&K and Ladakh became UTs on 31 October 2019.
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Union, Territory & Citizenship — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Union, Territory & Citizenship, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers Part I and Part II of the Constitution: the Union and its territory (Articles 1-4), the formation and reorganisation of states, and the provisions on citizenship (Articles 5-11), including how citizenship is acquired and lost under the Citizenship Act, 1955. Questions commonly ask which article describes India as a 'Union of States' (Article 1), how Parliament can create new states (Article 3), and the five ways of acquiring citizenship (birth, descent, registration, naturalisation and incorporation of territory). Remember that India provides for single citizenship. Practise the union, territory and citizenship questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.