Supreme Court Sets 6-Week Deadline for Centre on J&K Statehood; Local Leaders Express Concern Over Prolonged Uncertainty The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Centre to respond within six weeks regarding the timeline for restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, which has remained a Union Territory since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. Bandipora MLA Nizamudin Bhat expressed deep concern over the deteriorating conditions in Jammu and Kashmir post-Article 370 abrogation. “Since the special status was revoked, the people of Kashmir have been suffering. Land ownership rights and job opportunities have been taken away,” Bhat said, adding, “Earlier, everything was under the state government’s control. Now, most of the powers lie with the Centre, which has severely restricted local development.” He further criticized the lack of autonomy, stating that it has led to alienation and governance issues in the region. “The promise of better governance has not translated into reality on the ground,” Bhat said. Meanwhile, Mohd Hamza, Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference in-charge for Gurez, acknowledged that certain infrastructural developments have occurred under the Union Territory administration, particularly in remote border areas. "Roads that once seemed impossible to build have now been constructed. The border regions have seen some development,” Hamza said. However, he emphasized that these improvements have not addressed the pressing issue of unemployment. “In the last six years, unemployment has reached its peak. The youth are frustrated and disillusioned. Development without jobs is incomplete,” he added.