Several of Jammu & Kashmir’s regional parties, which have challenged the Centre’s decision to abrogate the provisions of Article 370 in 2019, on Monday welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision to hear the petitions challenging the reading down of Article 370. The hearing is scheduled for July 11.
“Welcome Hon’ble SC’s decision to finally hear petitions pending since 2019 challenging the illegal abrogation of [special status under] Article 370. I hope justice is upheld and delivered for the people of J&K. The SC ruling on Article 370 maintained that the provision can be abrogated only on the recommendation of the J&K constituent assembly,” former J&K Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti posted on Twitter.
The National Conference, which has also filed a petition against the Centre’s move in 2019, hailed the SC’s move. “We wholeheartedly welcome this development. People of J&K and Ladakh have been eagerly awaiting this day. We have faith in the court and we hope the arguments are concluded fast and a verdict will come very soon,” NC spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq said.
He said the NC was hopeful that the matter would be prioritised “so that judgement can be delivered”. “We have a very strong case against what happened on August 5, 2019,” Mr. Sadiq added.
“The [Centre’s] move was an assault on the constitutional order and was taken without the consent of the people. We hope the unilateral decision taken on August 5, 2019 is rolled back and justice delivered,” Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader M.Y. Tarigami said. He is also the spokesperson of the ‘Gupkar alliance’.
