Poonawala filed a petition in the Supreme Court. (File)Three days after the government decided to scrap the special status accorded to Jammu and Kashmir, Supreme Court Thursday refused to the urgent hearing of a plea stating the detention of political leaders and the regressive measures in Kashmir. The petition, filed by activist Tehseen Poonawalla challenged the detention of leaders like Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, and internet shutdown in the newly created Union Territory.
A bench headed by Justice N V Ramana said Poonawalla’s petition will be listed before the Chief Justice of India.
In his petition, Poonawalla has sought the withdrawal of “curfew/restrictions” and other measures like blocking of phones, Internet and news channels. He has also sought the release of both former Chief Ministers, who, along with Jammu and Kashmir People’s Conference leader Sajjad Lone, were put under house arrest on Sunday late night, and later detained.
Appearing for Poonawalla, advocate Suhail Malik said that he was not expressing his opinion on Article 370 but seeking the withdrawal of the restrictions imposed. He added that people need to talk to their family members and have a right to know their well-being in a situation prevailing there.
Earlier this week, advocate ML Sharma filed a petition against the scrapping of provisions in Article 370 that gave special status to J&K. However, the apex court refused an urgent hearing for Sharma’s petition.
Following a week of uncertainty after heavy deployment of troops and the suspension of the Amarnath Yatra, the government also imposed Section 144 of the CrPC in Srinagar district with effect from August 5 midnight.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday introduced The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2019 in the Rajya Sabha which transformed the erstwhile state into two Union Territories — Ladakh and J&K.
While the Ladakh UT will be without a legislature, the UT of J&K will be with a legislature.
Apart from NDA allies, BJP’s rivals like BSP and AAP, and Naveen Patnaik’s BJD, Jagan Mohan Reddy’s YSRCP and Bodoland People’s Front (BDF) supported the Bill. Meanwhile, the JD(U), Congress, TMC, DMK, PDP, and Vaiko’s MDMK vehemently opposed the move.
