The Narendra Modi government’s Article 370 move in Jammu and Kashmir faces a constitutional test in the Supreme Court. It was expected. The Modi government knew that it would have to defend its Article 370 move in the Supreme Court.
A constitution bench of the Supreme Court was scheduled to begin hearing on petitions challenging the Modi government’s move over Article 370. The bench deferred the matter till November 13 asking the Centre and state to file affidavits on the matter.
Petitioners, in turn, were given one week to lodge their own response to the government’s reply, with the court to next hear the matter on Nov. 14.
The government wants to file a response each for all 10 petitions, which all have their own grounds said local media.
One petition challenged the presidential order for the introduction of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, which bifurcated the State of Jammu and Kashmir into two separate union territories — the territory of Jammu and Kashmir and territory of Ladakh.
Retired military officers and bureaucrats have also filed a separate petition arguing that without ascertaining the will of the people either through its elected government or legislature or else through public means such as referenda, the Aug. 5 order could not have been passed.
Several other petitions were also filed by members of parliament, businessmen, artists, former jurists, political parties and residents of Jammu and Kashmir.
