The correct statement regarding Article 370 of the Constitution of India is: It gave special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Article 370 was a special provision that provided autonomous status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. It allowed the state to have its own Constitution and limited the Indian Parliament's legislative powers concerning the state. Most of the laws passed by the Indian Parliament required the state government's concurrence to be applicable in Jammu and Kashmir.
On August 5, 2019, the Government of India abrogated Article 370, thereby revoking the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. The state was reorganized into two Union Territories: Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, effective October 31, 2019.
As of the latest updates, India comprises 28 states and 8 Union territories. This configuration came about after the abrogation of Article 370 by the Indian Parliament and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019. Here's a brief overview of the relevant changes:
The former state of Jammu & Kashmir has been bifurcated into two Union territories: Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh as of 31 October 2019. This restructuring was pivotal in updating the administrative divisions of the country.
With these divisions effective, the total number of states remains 28. However, the addition of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh as Union territories, has brought the number of Union territories up to 8.
Thus, the correct answer to the query regarding the number of states and Union territories in India is: 28 states and 8 Union territories.