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Kashmir situation: Cabinet meeting ends; Shah to address Parliament today

Shah will address the Rajya Sabha at 11am, Lok Sabha at 12pm

Security personnel conducting checks on a road in Srinagar | Twitter handle of ANI

With concern growing over the shutdown of essential services in Jammu and Kashmir, Home Minister Amit Shah will address the Rajya Sabha at 11am on Monday. Shah is also due to address the Lok Sabha at 12pm.

The news came following a cabinet meeting headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and including Home Minister Amit Shah, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval. The cabinet meeting was 'unscheduled' as the Union cabinet typically meets on Wednesdays.

Modi and Shah also reportedly held an hour-long meeting on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

The cabinet meeting came after days of security preparations in Jammu and Kashmir, which began with the deployment of thousands of additional paramilitary personnel. This was followed by 'orders' to tourists and Amarnath Yatris to evacuate from Kashmir. The security preparations hit a climax on Sunday night as the government placed key leaders of political parties in Jammu and Kashmir under house arrest and cut internet and phone lines in Kashmir.

The security preparations had triggered speculation that the Modi government was preparing to revoke Article 370—which ensures a special status for Jammu and Kashmir in the Union—and Article 35A—which empowered the state Assembly to identify and designate residents of the state.

According to news agency ANI, the situation in Ladakh was reported to be normal with schools reopening after their summer vacation.