New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday declined to advance the hearing date for pleas seeking the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, noting that the matter is already scheduled for October 10.
On August 14, a bench led by Chief Justice B.R. Gavai had directed the Centre to respond within eight weeks to a separate plea seeking the restoration of statehood to the union territory.
“I am requesting an early listing of a contempt petition related to the abrogation of Article 370. Jammu and Kashmir was supposed to be granted statehood,” a lawyer told the bench, which also included Justice N.V. Anjaria.
“It is already listed for October 10,” the CJI replied, refusing to move the hearing date earlier.
“We are currently in the midst of a constitutional bench hearing,” Justice Gavai added, referring to the ongoing deliberations on a presidential reference regarding timelines for governors and the president.
Earlier, while seeking the Centre’s response, the bench had emphasized that authorities must “take into consideration the ground realities… you cannot ignore what has happened in Pahalgam,” cautioning against rushing the process.
On December 11, 2023, the Supreme Court had unanimously upheld the revocation of Article 370, which granted special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, while directing that assembly elections be held in the union territory by September 2024 and statehood be restored “at the earliest.”
In its verdict, the apex court observed that Article 370, incorporated in the Indian Constitution in 1949, was a temporary provision. Last year, a separate plea was filed seeking a court directive for the Centre to restore statehood within two months.
