The issue of restoration of full statehood of Jammu and Kashmir reached the Supreme Court, CJI asked to consider the petition.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday said that it will consider listing for hearing the petition requesting restoration of the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir within the stipulated time. Senior advocate Gopal Shankaranarayanan, appearing for the petitioners, told Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, Justice J. B. Pardiwala and requested the bench of Justice Manoj Mishra that there is an urgent need to hear the petition.

Supreme Court ready to consider the petition

Senior lawyer said, ‘To give statehood an M.A. (Miscellaneous Applications). It was mentioned (in last year’s decision) that it should be done within the stipulated time. The Chief Justice said, ‘I will look into it.’ This new petition has been filed on behalf of Jammu and Kashmir educationist Zahoor Ahmed Bhat and socio-political activist Khurshid Ahmed Malik.

The court had asked to restore statehood

The Supreme Court on December 11, 2023, unanimously upheld the central government’s decision in 2019 to abrogate Article 370 of the Constitution that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir and ordered that assembly elections be held there by September 2024. The court had also said that the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir should be restored ‘as soon as possible’.

Recently new government formed in Kashmir

Let us tell you that for the first time after the removal of Article 370, assembly elections were held in Jammu and Kashmir and recently a new government was formed. National Conference and Congress alliance government has been formed in the state. Whereas NC’s Farooq Abdullah has taken oath as the Chief Minister. At the same time, Congress has refused to participate in the government. Congress says that until Jammu and Kashmir gets the status of a full state, it will remain out of the government.

(With agency inputs)