“In re: Article 370 of the Constitution” verdict, a 5-judge Constitution Bench, headed by then CJI D.Y. Chandrachud, had left open the question of whether the Parliament can extinguish the character of statehood by converting a state into one or more Union Territories, relying on the statement made by Ssolicitor general Tushar Mehta that statehood would be restored to Jammu and Kashmir 

However, it had ordered the Election Commission of India to take steps to conduct elections to the Legislative Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir, constituted under Section 14 of the Reorganisation Act, by 30 September 2024, and said that “restoration of statehood shall take place at the earliest and as soon as possible”.

During the earlier hearings, SG Mehta had told the court that the Union Home ministry could not provide a specific timeline and that it would take “some time” to restore statehood.

In May 2024, the Supreme Court dismissed review petitions challenging its verdict, stating there was “no error apparent on the face of the record” and refused to list the matter in open court.