Diplomat Correspondent
New Delhi, DD, The Supreme Court on Monday declined a plea for urgent hearing on petitions concerning the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, making it clear that the matter will be taken up on October 10.
Appearing for the petitioners, counsel sought early listing of a contempt petition linked to the abrogation of Article 370, stressing that statehood was meant to be restored.
Chief Justice B.R. Gavai, heading the bench, refused to advance the hearing, noting that the case required a constitutional bench. “The matter is already listed for October 10. It cannot be taken up before then,” he observed.
Earlier, on August 14, the apex court had asked the Centre to file its reply within eight weeks. It had also underlined the importance of factoring in the ground situation while considering statehood restoration. “You cannot ignore what happened in Pahalgam,” the CJI remarked, referring to the recent terror attack that left 26 people dead.(DD)