SRINAGAR: President's rule has been imposed in Indian occupied Kashmir (IoK) after Indian President Ram Nath Kovind approved its imposition with immediate effect.
After six months of Governor's Rule which expired on December 19, 2018, the occupied valley will now be under President's Rule. The President's rule was first imposed in the state in 1986, whereas the previous instance of President rule was 22 years ago, the Economic Times reported.
A notification issued on Wednesday said the president had received a report from Governor Satya Pal Malik and after considering it and other information, he was "satisfied" that President's rule in the state was needed.
"In pursuance...of the proclamation issued...by me under article 356 of the Constitution of India, I hereby direct that all the functions of the Government of the State of Jammu and Kashmir and all the powers vested in or exercisable by the Governor of that State, the notification said.
The union cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi took the decision on Monday after Governor Satya Pal Malik sent a report to the central government recommending imposition of President's rule in the state.
Governor’s rule was imposed in the occupied valley in view of a political turmoil after the BJP withdrew its 25 legislators from the PDP-BJP ruling coalition, reducing PDP to minority. On November 21, Malik dissolved the 87-member state assembly minutes before PDP could realign and stake claim with the backing of arch rival National Conference and Congress to form the government.
According to the law, no presidential proclamation shall, in any case, remain in force for more than three years except for the intervention of Election Commission of India which has to certify that the continuance in force of the proclamation is necessary on account of difficulties in holding general elections to the legislative assembly.
Curfew-like restrictions continued across occupied Kashmir earlier this week following a renewed wave of killings by Indian troops.
On Saturday, Indian forces martyred ten youth in Pulwama district, sparking protests by residents which led to two more young people being killed and several others getting injured.
Indian atrocities in the valley have left tens of thousands of people dead since 1989 — most of them civilians. But this year has been the deadliest since 2009, with more than 500 people killed so far. Authorities said last week that incidents of violence were on track to double this year compared to 2017.