evidence: India has officially split the former state of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories, a move that gives the government in New Delhi greater control over the disputed Muslim-majority region. From Thursday, most of Jammu and Kashmir – including a section of the disputed Kashmir Valley controlled by India – was stripped of its statehood and turned into one union territory. [...] Also on August 5, the government introduced a bill to change Jammu and Kashmir’s administrative status from a state to a union territory. It was signed into law days afterwards, and took effect on October 31. In the Indian system, state governments retain significant authority over local matters. But New Delhi has more of a say in the affairs of a union territory.