Last Updated: 27th August, 2022
New Delhi: The Supreme Court will hear a batch of petitions challenging the Centre’s decision to abrogate Article 370, revoking the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, on Wednesday morning.
The apex court would also consider petitions seeking to remove other constraints, which include communications blockade in the state that will interfere with reporters in carrying out their professional responsibilities.
Article 370 of the Constitution of India granted Jammu and Kashmir unique status. A state in India, situated in the north part of the Indian subcontinent and part of the greater region of Kashmir, which had been the topic of conflict between India, Pakistan and China since 1947.
To enable it to have a different constitution, state flag and autonomy over the state’s internal administration. In August 2019, the Indian Government invalidated this unique status through a presidential order and the enactment of a parliamentary resolution.
This article, together and with Article 35A, specified that citizens of the Jammu and Kashmir state live under a discrete set of legislation, including those pertaining to citizenship, land ownership, and fundamental rights, opposed to citizens of all the other Indian states.
Indians from other Indian states can not even buy land or assets in Jammu & Kashmir as a consequence of this provision.
While the petition against the decision to Abrogate Article 370 has been filed by advocate ML Sharma, National Conference MPs Mohd Akbar Lone and Justice (rtd) Hasnain Masoodi have challenged the changes made in the constitutional status of Jammu and Kashmir by the Centre.
They have also been joined by former IAS officer Shah Faesal and former JNU student leader Shehla Rashid and several others including eminent persons like Radha Kumar.
A petition has also been filed by CPM leader Sitaram Yechury seeking production of his party colleague Mohd Tarigami who has been detained by the authorities.
All the matters relating to Article 370 and subsequent developments are listed for hearing before a bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi.
