Article 370 that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir has been scrapped by the Modi government on Monday (5th August) after Home Minister Amit Shah put forward the proposal in the Rajya Sabha. Now, according to reports, Jammu and Kashmir will no longer be a state, it will be a Union Territory with a Legislature where as Ladakh will become a Union Territory without a Legislature.
Now, lets try to understand the basic differences between a State and a Union Territory.
1. State is a constituent division which is governed by a separate government whereas, a Union Territory is a small administrative unit, that is ruled by the Union.
2. All states and two union territories (Puducherry and Delhi) possess elected legislature and government whereas, the rest of the Union Territories are controlled and administrated directly by the Central government.
3. All Indian states share a federal relationship with the center where as, Union Territories share a unitary relationship with the center.
4. Each state has a governor who acts as the executive head but, in case of an Union Territory, the President acts as the executive head.
5. States are administered by the Chief Minister who is elected by the people but an Union Territory is administered by the administration that is elected by the President.
Article 370 will be revoked from the day of the President’s assent. The House witnessed chaotic scenes as the Opposition, led by Congress, registered strong protest against the government’s move.