Bill To Bifurcate Jammu And Kashmir Cleared By President Ram Nath Kovind. The bill was sent to the President after it sailed through the Lok Sabha last week 

New Delhi: The bill to bifurcate Jammu and Kashmir into two Union territories-- Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh-- has been approved by President Ram Nath Kovind.

The bill was sent to the President after it sailed through the Lok Sabha last week, with some opposition parties walking out, bringing down the majority mark, and others siding with the government. It had been already passed in the Rajya Sabha.

Home Minister Amit Shah last week announced in parliament that special status to Jammu and Kashmir powered by Article 370 was scrapped. He also announced about the bifurcation of the state, amid raucous opposition from the Congress.

Preceding the announcement, a large number of paramilitary troops was moved into the Valley, leading to unrest in the state. A day before the decision, several leaders including former chief ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti were placed under house arrest.

Precautionary measures were taken by the state government after the move. Mobile communications were suspended and restrictions on gatherings were placed.

The Congress had led the opposition protests against the Kashmir decisions along with a handful of parties - the Samajwadi Party, the DMK, Lalu Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Left parties.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in an address to the nation that Jammu and Kashmir would not remain a Union Territory for long. He assured that the situation in the state would return to normal soon.

"We want elections to be held. People will soon get a chance to choose their elected representatives. They will choose their MLAs, their ministers and their Chief Minister," he added.