How did Article 370 affect Jammu and Kashmir’s former autonomy?

Article 370 of the Constitution of India granted Jammu and Kashmir a semiautonomous status, allowing the state to maintain its own constitution and limiting the Indian central government's legislative jurisdiction primarily to defense, external affairs, and communications.12

Key aspects of this autonomy included:
* Legislative Control: Most provisions of the Indian Constitution were not applicable to the state, or were applied only in modified form, unless the state government provided concurrence.12
* Permanent Residency: Under Article 35A, the state legislature could define "permanent residents," restricting rights such as land ownership, voting, and access to government jobs to those individuals.3
* Constitutional Safeguards: The article stipulated that it could only be amended or abrogated upon the recommendation of the state’s constituent assembly.1

In 2019, the Indian government rendered Article 370 inoperative, removed the state's special status, and reorganized the region into two union territories: Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.45