Supreme Court Sets Deadline for Jammu and Kashmir Statehood Restoration Response

The Supreme Court has given the Indian government a four-week deadline to respond to pleas for restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. The case, involving assurances from the Centre, is under review, amid consultations with local authorities and debates on a unique set of challenges facing the region.

In a decisive move, the Supreme Court on Friday granted the Centre a four-week period to file its response concerning a series of pleas requesting the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. The petitions, filed by academician Zahoor Ahmad Bhat and socio-political activist Ahmad Malik, emphasize the urgency of honoring the Centre's commitment to restore statehood at the earliest. Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran presided over the hearing.

The Supreme Court's December 2023 judgment, which upheld the abrogation of Article 370, recorded an undertaking for statehood restoration. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, indicated ongoing consultations with local administration officials, citing the complexity of the situation that aligns with 'sui generis' problems, requiring a careful examination of various factors. He contended that misleading narratives are influencing public perception.

The bench, while reflecting on the case's intricacies, emphasized the need for appropriate measures, with the Supreme Court having already ordered the conduct of assembly elections by September 2024. The judiciary's focus now turns to ensuring a comprehensive and timely governmental response, previously sought via a 2022 plea seeking swift restoration within two months.