New Delhi, Aug 13: The Supreme Court would on Thursday hear a plea for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
A bench of Chief Justice of India B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran is likely to hear the matter, according to the causelist.
On December 11, 2023, the Supreme Court unanimously upheld the revocation of Article 370, even as it ordered that assembly elections be held in Jammu and Kashmir by September 2024 and its statehood be restored “at the earliest”.
Last year, a plea was filed in the top court seeking directions to the Centre for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir within two months.
The application was filed by Zahoor Ahmad Bhat, an academician, and Khurshaid Ahmad Malik, a socio-political activist.
“It is submitted that the delay in the restoration of statehood would cause a serious reduction of democratically elected government in Jammu and Kashmir, causing a grave violation of the idea of federalism, which forms part of the basic structure of the Constitution of India,” the application said.
The assembly elections and the Lok Sabha polls were conducted peacefully in Jammu and Kashmir without any incident of violence, disturbance, or any security concerns being reported, it said.
The non-restoration of the status of statehood of Jammu and Kashmir, the plea said, would result in a lesser form of elected democratic government to the state, particularly given that legislative assembly results were declared on October 8, 2024.