High Court to Decide on LG's Authority to Nominate MLAs in J&K

The Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court is set to hear a PIL challenging the J&K Lieutenant Governor's power to nominate MLAs. The case questions the J&K Reorganisation Act's provisions. On March 20, the final hearing will take place, with parties required to complete pleadings beforehand.

The Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court has scheduled a pivotal hearing for March 20 regarding a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging the authority of the J&K Lieutenant Governor to nominate five members to the Legislative Assembly of the Union Territory.

The legal proceeding, presided over by a division bench composed of Justice Sanjeev Kumar and Justice Rajesh Sekhri, has instructed both parties to finalize all pleadings, responses, and counter-responses by the hearing date. Prominent legal representatives are involved, including Solicitor General Tushar Mehta for the respondents and Senior Supreme Court lawyer Dr. Abhishek Manu Singh representing petitioner Ravinder Sharma.

At the core is the petition's challenge to the J&K Reorganisation Act, which grants the Lieutenant Governor the power to nominate MLAs, asserting it violates the constitutional requirement to involve the council of ministers. Key stakeholders, including residents from Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, have sought to intervene, highlighting the case's public significance.

(With inputs from agencies.)