Question

The Specific Relief Act, 1963 extends to

• A. the whole of India
• B. Jammu and Kashmir only
• C. North Eastern States only
• D. Whole of India except Jammu and kashmir

Hint:

Since the 2019 Reorganisation, if you see a question about whether a Central Law applies to "Whole of India" or "Whole of India except J&K," the answer is now almost always "the whole of India."

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Concept: The Specific Relief Act, 1963 is a key civil law that deals with the enforcement of civil rights and the performance of contracts. Traditionally, many Indian statutes had an exception clause for the State of Jammu and Kashmir due to Article 370.

Step 1: Historical Context.
Before 2019, the Specific Relief Act (like the IPC and CrPC) contained a clause stating it extended to the "Whole of India except the State of Jammu and Kashmir." This would have made Option (D) correct in the past.

Step 2: Impact of the Reorganisation Act, 2019.
With the enactment of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, Article 370 was effectively abrogated. This Act resulted in the application of over 100 Central Laws to the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. $\text{Date of Effect} = \text{October 31, 2019}$

Step 3: Current Legal Status.
Today, the Specific Relief Act, 1963 extends to the whole of India. There are no longer any state-wide exceptions for this primary civil legislation. Final Answer: Option A