India's Supreme Court Verdict on Article 370: A Game-Changer for Kashmir

India's Supreme Court has upheld the 2019 decision by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government to revoke the special status of Indian-administered Kashmir, which granted it a degree of autonomy. The court ruled that Jammu and Kashmir should be restored to the same statehood as any other Indian state, with no separate autonomy rights. Article 370, which granted Kashmir autonomy of internal administration, was deemed a "temporary provision" and constitutionally valid to be removed. The decision is seen as a boost for the governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of general elections. Pakistan claims Kashmir as its own territory, and the repeal of Article 370 has raised concerns about a potential demographic shift in the Muslim-majority region.