The Supreme Court on Friday granted the Centre four weeks to file its response to a batch of petitions seeking the restoration of statehood to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
A bench comprising Chief Justice B. R. Gavai and Justice K. Vinod Chandran was hearing multiple pleas, including those filed by academician Zahoor Ahmad Bhat and socio-political activist Ahmad Malik. The petitions urged the court to direct the implementation of the Centre’s assurance to restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir “at the earliest”.
During the hearing, the petitioners’ counsel referred to the Supreme Court’s December 2023 judgment, which upheld the abrogation of Article 370 and recorded the Centre’s undertaking to restore statehood.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, informed the bench that consultations were underway with the Jammu and Kashmir administration on the issue.
“This is a sui generis (unique) problem and there are wider concerns involved. Of course, there was a solemn undertaking but several factors need to be considered,” Mehta submitted.
He further contended that “some people are spreading a specific narrative and giving a grim picture of the union territory.”
On December 11, 2023, the Supreme Court had unanimously upheld the revocation of Article 370, which had accorded special status to the erstwhile state. The court directed that assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir be conducted by September 2024, and that statehood should be restored “at the earliest”.
In 2024, a separate plea had also been filed in the top court seeking a direction to the Centre to restore statehood within two months.
