New Delhi : Any existing state of India can constitutionally be converted into Union Territory, clarified Supreme Court Any single state could become one or more Union Territories if law in this regard passes the parliament, said Court. The observation came based on provisions in sec 3 and 4 of the Constitution.
The Bench was hearing petitions filed by Srinagar natives Haji Abdul Gani Khan and Dr. Muhammad Ayub Mattu, questioning the impending reorganisation of constitutuencies by Commission in Jammu. The case was heard by Bench comprising justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Abhay S. Oka who upheld the Ranjana Desai Commission's realignment of constitutions in Jammu as lawful.
The clarification comes even as petitions challenging, the withdrawal of Jammu Kashmir’s special status and subsequently splitting it into two union territories of Jammu and Ladakh, is still pending with the apex court. The Supreme court also said its endorsement of Commission realigning mandalams(constituencies) should not be narrated as approval of actions relating to removal of a State's special status.
