Srinagar: The Supreme Court has made an announcement stating that the hearing for a group of pleas questioning the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir will begin on August 2. To ensure a smooth process a Constitution bench comprising of five judges will be conducting the hearing on a daily basis except on Mondays and Fridays. In order to make preparations for the upcoming proceedings.
The court has designated two advocates as nodal counsels, responsible for gathering all relevant documents. Additionally the Supreme Court has set a deadline of July 27 for all involved parties to submit their documents and written arguments. No additional material will be accepted after this date. Additionally, the court has granted the requests of activists Shehla Rashid Shora and former IAS officer Shah Faesal to remove their names from the list of petitioners challenging the scrapping of Article 370.
Reacting to the upcoming hearing, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah expressed hope that the court’s decision would be delivered swiftly, as they have been awaiting this day since 2019. He emphasized their belief in the strength of their case and requested an expedited process for justice to be served. Abdullah highlighted the perceived injustice, violation of law, and betrayal experienced by the people of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019, when Article 370 and 35(A) were revoked and the region was divided into two Union territories.
The decision taken by the central government to abrogate Article 370 and 35(A) occurred on August 5, 2019. This decision brought about the reorganization of Jammu and Kashmir into the Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The upcoming Supreme Court hearing is highly anticipated as it will address the constitutional validity and implications of these changes.