IIOJK statehood: SC gives Indian govt four weeks to respond to pleas
New Delhi: The Indian Supreme Court today granted the government four weeks to file its response to petitions demanding the restoration of statehood to occupied Jammu and Kashmir, which was downgraded to a Union Territory following the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019.
According to Kashmir Media Service, appearing for the Indian government, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the bench, led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, that consultations between the Indian government and the Jammu and Kashmir administration were in progress regarding the restoration of statehood.
Senior advocates Gopal Sankaranarayanan and Menaka Guruswamy, representing the petitioners, argued that the downgrading of Jammu and Kashmir to a Union Territory posed serious implications for Indian federalism. They contended that if such a move were to stand, any state could be reduced to a Union Territory at the Indian government’s discretion.
Sankaranarayanan also reminded the court that in December 2023, the Indian government had assured it of the restoration of statehood. To this, Mehta replied that “much water has flown since then — and blood too,” referring to recent violent incidents in Pahalgam, sparking exchanges between the sides.
The petitioners urged the court to have the matter heard by a five-judge constitutional bench, noting that the original verdict on Article 370 was delivered by one.
Recording the submissions, the bench granted the Indian government four weeks to respond and agreed to list the matter thereafter, taking note of Chief Justice Chandrachud’s impending retirement on November 23.
