You cannot ignore what happened in Pahalgam; it is for Parliament and the Executive to take a decision: CJI B R Gavai
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Government of India (GoI) to respond to a petition seeking the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood.
A bench of Chief Justice of India B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran noted Solicitor General Tushar Mehta’s submission that “several considerations” factor into such a decision. The petition, filed by academician Zahoor Ahmad Bhat and socio-political activist Ahmad Malik, has been scheduled for hearing after eight weeks.
When senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, representing Bhat, sought an early hearing, the CJI remarked, “You cannot ignore what happened in Pahalgam. It is for Parliament and the Executive to take a decision.”
On December 11, 2023, the top court upheld the abrogation of Article 370 — which granted special status to the erstwhile state — while directing that assembly elections be held in the Union territory by September 2024 and statehood be restored “at the earliest.”
A similar plea filed last year had sought directions to the GoI to restore Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood within two months.
