Context

• The state of Jammu and Kashmir bifurcated into the Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh on October 31. This was the date chosen after the bifurcation was announced in Parliament on August 5.

Beginning of the functioning of the two UTs:

• October 31 will mark the beginning of the functioning of the two UTs at a bureaucratic level. The two union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh came into effect under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act.
• While Jammu and Kashmir will have an elected Assembly and council of ministers headed by a chief minister, Ladakh will be under the Lieutenant Governor’s rule. Jammu and Kashmir Assembly will be increasing from its current strength to 114. It will have a term of five years, instead of the state Assembly’s term of six years.
• Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir will have five Lok Sabha MPs and four Rajya Sabha MPs. Ladakh will have one Lok Sabha MP.
• The Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir and the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) have also ceased to exist now from J&K and Ladakh. Indian Penal Code provisions will now be applicable.
• Central probe agencies like the National Investigation Agency and the Central Bureau of Investigation will now be able to take up investigations in the state on their own.

• The two union territories will have a common high court. While Jammu and Kashmir will have a Public Service Commission, Ladakh will come under the Union Public Service Commission’s ambit.

Source: IE