The Supreme Court will on Monday hear a batch of petitions challenging the Centre’s decision to scrap Jammu and Kashmir’s special status under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, PTI reported.
A three-judge bench headed by the Chief Justice of India Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices SA Bobde and S Abdul Nazeer will hear the petitions. The petitions include those filed by Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, who sought permission from the top court to visit his family members and relatives. Azad has tried to visit the state three times so far, but has been stopped and sent back to New Delhi.
The court will also hear petitions filed by Anuradha Bhasin, the executive editor of Kashmir Times, who had challenged the restrictions on media, and political commentator Tehseen Poonawalla, who had challenged the security clampdown in the state.
Jammu and Kashmir was put under prohibitory orders and an unprecedented communications blackout on August 4. Prohibitory orders are being lifted gradually but the communications blockade remains in most parts.
National Conference Lok Sabha members Mohammad Akbar Lone and Hasnain Masoodi moved the Supreme Court with a petition under Article 32 of the Constitution. This article in the Constitution allows the Supreme Court to issue any order to protect the fundamental rights of citizens.
Two child rights activist have sought clarity on reports that children are being illegally detained by security forces in Jammu and Kashmir. Enakshi Ganguly and Professor Shanta Sinha in their petition requested the top court to direct the government to file a status report and order the Juvenile Justice Committee of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir to monitor incidents of detention.
Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief Vaiko’s petition in the Supreme Court has sought the release of Jammu and Kashmir National Conference President Farooq Abdullah from detention. Vaiko said Abdullah was due to attend a conference on the birth anniversary of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister CN Annadurai in Chennai on September 15.
The plea of Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Sitaram Yechury will also be taken up by the court. Yechury was last month allowed by the top court to visit his ailing party colleague Mohammed Yousuf Tarigami in Srinagar. The CPI(M) leader’s petition in the top court had challenged Tarigami’s detention.
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