The Supreme Court on Monday rejected an urgent hearing on Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood plea, saying the matter is sub judice and will be heard on October 10.
The counsel for the petitioners sought an urgent hearing on the matter related to the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
Counsel representing petitioners told the top court bench headed by the Chief Justice of India that “I am seeking early listing of a contempt petition relating to abrogation of Article 370. Statehood was to be granted to Jammu and Kashmir.”
Chief Justice BR Gavai, while turning down the request, told the counsel that the matter is already listed on October 10.
He also informed the counsel that the court will have to sit in a constitutional bench of presidential reference and the matter can’t be listed before October 10.
This has come at a time when the Union government recently introduced the 130th amendment in Parliament, which seeks to remove prime ministers and chief ministers of the states and UTs in case they remain under arrest for 30 days.
The bill met fierce criticism from the non-BJP parties alleging that the law was “draconian and aimed at removing non-BJP CMs.”
Meanwhile, Opposition parties tore down the bill and threw it back on Amit Shah while he was presenting the bill in Parliament.
Jammu and Kashmir has remained a contentious issue since its special status under Article 370 was revoked by the Union government in August 2019.
Earlier, on August 14, the top court sought the Centre’s reply within 8 weeks on the Jammu and Kashmir statehood petition. The top court also observed that the ground situation has to be taken into consideration for statehood restoration. “You cannot ignore what happened in Pahalgam,” the CJI had said, referencing the terror attack that claimed 26 innocent lives.
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