The Jammu and Kashmir government is the principal administrative authority for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir (UT of J&K), an institution operating under the framework of the Indian Constitution. It is a Union Territory with a legislature, a structure similar to that of Puducherry.
The current structure was established by the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, a law passed by the Parliament of India. The Act was assented to on August 9, 2019, and became effective on October 31, 2019. This reorganisation followed the revocation of the special status of the former State of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 and Article 35A of the Constitution on August 5, 2019. The move was intended to integrate the region more closely with the Indian Union.
The administration of the UT of J&K is governed by Article 239A of the Constitution. The executive head is the Lieutenant Governor (LG), appointed by the President of India. The LG is advised by a Council of Ministers headed by a Chief Minister. The unicameral Legislative Assembly can make laws on matters in the State List and Concurrent List, but its power is restricted as the subjects of "Public Order" and "Police" remain under the control of the LG.
The entire structure was fundamentally changed by the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, which replaced the former State with two Union Territories: the UT of Jammu and Kashmir (with legislature) and the Union Territory of Ladakh (without legislature). The former bicameral legislature was replaced by a unicameral one, and the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Council was abolished. The legality of the abrogation of Article 370 was upheld by the Supreme Court of India in December 2023. The UT of J&K shares the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh with the UT of Ladakh.