J&K’S PEOPLES CONFERENCE MOVES SC FOR EARLY HEARING ON ARTICLE 370

Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Peoples Conference led by former minister Sajjad Gani Lone has filed an application in the Supreme Court on Monday seeking an early hearing in the batch of petitions challenging the abrogation of Article 370.

Most Kashmir-based political parties, including the National Conference, many civil society groups and other individuals have challenged the abrogation of Article 370 in the Supreme Court. In a tweet on Monday, Peoples Conference said, “J&K Peoples Conference moves SC, seeks early hearing of a batch of Petitions challenging abrogation of Article 370 and reorganisation of J&K.”

People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration in the recent meetings has decided to go for the acceleration of the judicial process in the Supreme Court as these petitions are now pending before the constitution bench.

According to the Peoples Conference, their plea before the Supreme Court for the early hearing has cited many laws and decisions taken by the Central government not only to change the status quo but also the demography of Jammu and Kashmir.

The party, in its petition, has said, “Notwithstanding the foregoing, pending the final hearing of these petitions challenging the abrogation of the special status of the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir and the abrogation of the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir, and notwithstanding the prevailing pandemic conditions, sweeping changes are being brought about by the Centre that impact the rights of a large number of people, including dilution of the safeguards earlier available to the permanent residents of the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir.”

In the plea it has further said that the recent changes and laws will have an “irreparable impact on the rights of the citizens of J&K, including creation of domicile rights and third-party rights in land ownership”. It is in place to mention that on 5 August 2019, both houses of Parliament abrogated Article 370 and also 35A. Political parties and many civil society groups have claimed that the decisions taken on 5 August, were illegal and unconstitutional and they presume that they have a case to fight in Supreme Court and get it reversed.