The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a plea challenging the Jammu and Kashmir government’s order restricting civilian traffic for a day in a week on a stretch of the National Highway from Udhampur to Baramulla for the movement of security forces.
The State government’s counsel told the Bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Deepak Gupta that the order restricting civilian traffic was passed due to the ongoing election and will remain in force till May 31.
“Additional Solicitor General appearing for the State of Jammu and Kashmir submits that the closure of the highway as on date is for one day in a week, i.e., Wednesday. Additional Solicitor General has further submitted that the said closure will be effective only till the end of May 2019,” the Bench noted in its order.
“Taking into account the reasons that have prompted the State to order for the closure of the highway which is restricted to one day in the week, we are not inclined to keep this petition pending any longer,” the Bench said and disposed of the plea.
The State government had issued an order on April 3 in which it said that no civilian traffic movement will be allowed on the NH stretch from 4 a.m. to 5 p.m. twice a week.