Supreme Court To Hear Petitions Posing Legal Challenges Against Centre’s Article 370 Move And Curbs On J&K Press

The Supreme Court plans to hear petitions challenging the Centre’s move with regard to Article 370 as well as recently imposed restrictions on the working of media in the region.

The first petition was filed by advocate M L Sharma on August 6, challenging the Centre’s move with regard to Article 370, which resulted in the creations of union territories of Jammu and Kashmir as well as Ladakh.

The advocate’s petition has claimed that the Presidential order on Article 370 is illegal since it was passed without the consent of the Jammu & Kashmir Assembly.

His petition has also sought directions to restore all modes of communication, including mobile Internet and landline services, throughout Jammu & Kashmir in order to provide the media to function.

The second petition was filed by Kashmir Times executive editor Anuradha Bhasin on August 10, seeking a direction to the Centre as well as the Jammu & Kashmir administration to relax all restrictions on freedom of movement of journalists across the state.

The petition stated that the direction was sought under the rights given to journalists under Articles 14, 19 (1) (a) and 19 (1) (g) and 21 of the Constitution as well as the right of J&K residents to know what is going on.

Meanwhile, the National Conference, which is a major political party, has filed another petition in the Supreme Court challenging recent changes made in the constitutional status of Jammu & Kashmir.

The petition has contended that the Centre’s recent moves have taken away the rights of Kashmiri citizens without their mandate.

The petition has argued that the legislation approved by Parliament and the orders issued by the President are “unconstitutional” and sought that these be declared as “void and inoperative”.