The Supreme Court has sought a response from the Centre on a plea seeking the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, saying ground realities, including the recent Pahalgam incident cannot be ignored.
According to PTI, “You also have to take into consideration the ground realities, you cannot ignore what has happened in Pahalgam,” CJI B R Gavai said when counsel including senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan sought an early hearing.
The bench also comprised Justice K Vinod Chandran.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, sought dismissal of the plea and said in the past too, the court had imposed costs on such pleas.
“Elections are held, my lords are aware of the peculiar position emerging from this part of the country and there are several considerations which go into decision-making,” Mehta said.
The bench posted the plea, filed by academician Zahoor Ahmad Bhat and socio-political activist Ahmad Malik, for hearing after eight weeks.
Sankarnarayanan, appearing for Bhat, said it had been 21 months since that judgment was passed by the Constitution bench on issues including the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution.
“There has been no movement partly because, my lords fairly trusted the Union when they made this statement before the court that they will implement the statehood,” Sankarnarayanan said.
Referring to the judgment, he said the bench did not address the issue in view of the assurance given by the solicitor general that the statehood to Jammu and Kashmir will be restored.
Sankaranarayanan said the bench had merely directed that restoration of statehood at the earliest and did not set any timeline.
