President Kovind gives nod to J&K Reorganisation Bill, J&K and Ladhak officially declared new UTs

New Delhi/Aug,9 : Days after the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2019 was passed by the Parliament, President Ram Nath Kovind Friday gave his assent to the legislation. The reorganisation bill provides for the formation of the Union Territory of Ladakh without Legislature and a separate one for Jammu and Kashmir with the Legislature.
The President has given assent to the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, a home ministry official said.The Bill to bifurcate the state into two Union Territories — Jammu and Kashmir with a Legislature similar to Puducherry, and Ladakh without one like Chandigarh was passed with a two-thirds majority of the members present in Rajya Sabha. In Lok Sabha, the statutory resolution scrapping the special status was passed by a voice vote in the evening. With special provisions gone, Indian laws will now apply to the newly created Union Territories.As the President gave his assent to the bill, the Jammu and Kashmir administration eased the restriction imposed in the state since August 5. The administration withdrew section 144 from Jammu and announced that schools will open on Saturday.