SRINAGAR: Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday termed the Supreme Court's verdict on pleas challenging the abrogation of the provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution "sad and unfortunate", but said "we have to accept it".

"It (the court verdict) is sad and unfortunate," Azad told reporters here.

The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said the people of the region are not happy with the verdict delivered by a five-judge bench of the apex court.

"But we have to accept it (the verdict)," he added.

NC leader Omar Abdullah on the SC verdict on abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution said that he was 'disappointed but not disheartened'.

The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said it took the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) decades to abrogate the provisions of Article 370 and added that they are also prepared for the long haul.

"It took the BJP decades to reach here. We are also prepared for the long haul," he said.

The Supreme Court on Monday upheld the Centre's decision to abrogate Article 370, which bestowed a special status on the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, and said steps should be taken to conduct elections to the Assembly by September 30 next year.

The apex court also directed that statehood to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir be restored at the earliest.