Each year on Aug. 5, Youm-e-Istehsal-e-Kashmir (the Day of Exploitation of Kashmir) is observed to mark India's unilateral and illegal actions to consolidate its occupation of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), and the inhumane subjugation of the Kashmiri people. The constitutional changes introduced by India in 2019 did more than revoke Articles 370 and 35-A; they set in motion a series of measures which have had grave implications on the peace and security of the region, as well as on the basic human rights and fundamental freedoms of people of IIОЈК.
Article 35-A of the Indian Constitution, in force since 1954, reserved the right to own land and hold public employment in IIOJK for its permanent residents. It reflected the understanding that the disputed territory, pending implementation of the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, required legal safeguards to preserve its demographic character until its people could determine their own future.
These illegal changes were followed by new domicile laws extending eligibility for residency, land ownership and government employment to large numbers of individuals who had not previously qualified as permanent residents. According to reports, millions of domicile certificates have been issued since 2019, and land previously protected by law has increasingly become available for acquisition by non-local individuals and entities.
