New Delhi: The Supreme Court today decided to examine the legal challenge against the Centre’s decision to abrogate Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and referred the matter to a five-judge Constitution bench.
The apex court issued notices to the Centre and Jammu and Kashmir administration on a batch of pleas challenging the Presidential order by which Article 370 was abrogated.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi was not in agreement with the Centre that there was no need for issuance of notice in the matter as Attorney General K K Venugopal and Solicitor General were marking their presence in the court.
“We will refer the matter to a five-judge Constitution bench,” the bench also comprising justices S A Bobde and S A Nazeer said while not accepting the arguments that the issuance of notice will have a ‘cross-border repercussion.’
The Attorney General said whatever is being said by this court is sent before the United Nations. As the counsel appearing for both sides were involved in arguments and counter-arguments, the bench said, “We know what to do, we have passed the order, we are not going to change.”
| Notices to Centre, J&K on restrictions on journalists |
| The Supreme Court today sought responses from the Centre and Jammu and Kashmir administration on a plea seeking removal of restrictions imposed on journalists after Article 370 was scrapped.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi issued notice on the plea filed by Anuradha Bhasin, Executive Editor of Kashmir Times. The bench, also comprising Justices S A Bobde and S A Nazeer, asked the Centre and Jammu and Kashmir administration to file their responses on Bhasin’s plea within seven days. In the plea, Bhasin has sought directions for restoration of all modes of communication, including mobile Internet and landline services, throughout the state in order to provide an enabling environment for media to practise its profession. |