To what extent is Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, bearing marginal note “Temporary provision with respect to the State of Jammu and Kashmir”, temporary? Discuss the future prospects of this provision in the context of Indian polity. (UPSC 2015)

Article 370 was temporary in text and purpose. It was placed in Part XXI to address the transitional situation after Jammu and Kashmir’s accession and to operate until the State’s Constituent Assembly framed its constitution.

Temporary nature: It was an interim arrangement under asymmetric federalism, granting special autonomy without creating permanent sovereignty. The Supreme Court in 2023 held that it did not become permanent after the Constituent Assembly dissolved in 1957, and presidential power under Article 370(3) remained available.

Future prospects: After the 2019 constitutional changes, Article 370 has been rendered inoperative. In Indian polity, the key issue is now not revival but rebuilding democratic normalcy, restoring statehood, and strengthening federal trust in Jammu and Kashmir. Thus, Article 370 was temporary in design and now stands effectively exhausted in practice, while its legacy continues to shape debates on federalism and integration.