India to revoke Article 370

Mumbai: India's Home Minister Amit Shah announced on Monday that the country would revoke Article 370.

The decision, enforced by presidential decree, would end the special status of the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

According to the presidential decree, the Constituent Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir would now be called the Legislative Assembly of the State. All amendments to the Indian constitution would apply to the state.

The decree said the measures came into force "at once."

The Home Ministry said in a statement that in addition to repealing the special status of the state, the government has decided to bifurcate the state into two union territories. One will be Jammu and Kashmir, with a legislature, and the other, Ladakh, without one.

The government also announced a ban on public movement in the state and ordered all educational institutions to remain closed.

A complete ban on public meetings and rallies is also in effect.

Several political leaders including former chief ministers of the state have already been arrested or put under house arrest by Indian authorities.

Several thousand soldiers and paramilitary forces have also been deployed across the state.

(With input from other agencies)