New Delhi – The Supreme Court of India announced on Thursday that it will deliberate on a plea requesting the timely restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. This comes on the heels of the court's previous decision on December 11, 2023, in which it unanimously upheld the revocation of Article 370 of the Constitution that had previously granted special status to the region. During the proceedings, senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, representing the applicants, appealed for an urgent hearing from the bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud, along with Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra.
Sankaranarayanan emphasized the necessity of the plea, stating, “There is an MA (Miscellaneous Application) for conferring statehood. It was noted (in last year’s judgement) that it has to be time-bound.” In response, Chief Justice Chandrachud remarked, “I will deal with it,” indicating the court's willingness to consider the application. The new plea was filed by Zahoor Ahmad Bhat, an academic, and Khurshaid Ahmad Malik, a socio-political activist from Jammu and Kashmir. Their application seeks a definitive timeline for the restoration of statehood, reflecting the sentiments of many in the region.
The Supreme Court's ruling in December 2023 not only upheld the actions taken in 2019 concerning Article 370 but also mandated that assembly elections be conducted in Jammu and Kashmir by September 2024. Furthermore, the court underscored the importance of restoring the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir "at the earliest," signaling a potential shift in the political landscape of the region. As the Supreme Court prepares to review the plea, the future of Jammu and Kashmir’s governance and political status hangs in the balance, with many residents eagerly anticipating the outcomes of these legal proceedings.
