Until a month ago, it was assumed that the Udhampur constituency would be a cakewalk for the BJP. But with controversial leader Choudhary Lal Singh returning to the Congress and being given a ticket, the game has changed.

Jammu and Kashmir's administrative council headed by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha cleared a proposal to grant 10% reservation to Pahari ethnic tribe, Paddari tribe, Kolis and Gadda Brahmin communities.

Interestingly, post-delimitation, the Union government and the ruling Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) have been repeatedly saying that the Election Commission of India would decide on the timing of the Jammu and Kashmir polls.

Wangchuk, whose life inspired the character of Phunsukh Wangdu played by Aamir Khan in Bollywood blockbuster 3 Idiots, is on day 7 of his 21-day hunger strike to demand special status and statehood for Ladakh.

The region's most influential Buddhist organisation and elected representatives have called it an affront to locals' sentiments.

However, the Centre is likely to assent to other demands over jobs, land and identity-related rights. Talks will resume after the winter session of parliament.

'It is another July 18 for us. I feel that they have killed our children a second time,' the father of one of the three slain men said.

'This is just a pressure tactic to blackmail him to join BJP. This case will vanish if he switches over to BJP,' Haridutt Shishu, general secretary of Lal Singh-led DSSP told The Wire.

The decision by the administration to 'celebrate' the downgrading of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood to Union territory on October 31 is an 'insult' to the people and is akin to rubbing salt on the wounds, said political parties.

The Election Commission of India has come under criticism from political and human rights actors over the “suspension of democracy”.

The win is being seen as a shot in the arm for the INDIA alliance and a setback for the BJP.

With the BJP pushing for deferring the electoral exercise, the opposition claims it is scared of facing a defeat.

Documents show Zahoor Ahmad Bhat had applied for a two-day leave and mentioned that he was to appear in the apex court.

The teacher and the principal of the school have both been suspended. The government has ordered two separate enquiries into the matter.

A complete shutdown on Saturday and anti-BJP slogans and sentiments contradict the Union government's claims that the dilution of Article 370 has brought prosperity to the region.

Sheikh Nazir Ahmad has claimed that the action against him may have been because elections are near, and questioned why he was being punished for the actions of his son.

The family of Amir Magrey, who was killed in the shootout, had to wage a long-drawn legal battle to know where he was buried. His father now says he will do 'whatever possible to erase the label of militancy' on his dead son.

Muhammad Maqbool War, BJP's state executive committee member, said only officers who cooperate with the party leaders should be posted, even suggesting names of the officers to the Union home minister.

While the family and other refugees allege that the baby died due to teargas fired by authorities at the detention centre, the Jammu and Kashmir government has denied this.

The proposed Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2023 specifies that the Lieutenant Governor of J&K – who is appointed by the Union government – would nominate these MLAs.