Supreme Court to Hear Plea for Jammu and Kashmir Statehood Restoration
The Supreme Court of India has agreed to hear a plea seeking the restoration of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir within two months. The application was mentioned by Advocate Gopal Shankarnarayan, and a bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud will list the case. Filed by Zahoor Ahmed Bhat and Khurshaid Ahmad Malik, the plea argues that despite assurances from the Union of India, no steps have been taken in the last ten months to restore statehood following the abrogation of Article 370.
The applicants, represented by Advocate Soyaib Qureshi, express concern over the delay, which they claim affects the rights of Jammu and Kashmir’s residents and violates the federal structure of India. They emphasize that the peaceful conduct of recent elections indicates no security concerns for restoring statehood. The plea warns that further delay could harm the democratic structure and territorial integrity of Jammu and Kashmir.
The application stresses the importance of restoring statehood to allow Jammu and Kashmir to maintain its federal relationship with India and contribute to the country’s development.
Doubts Revealed
Supreme Court -: The Supreme Court is the highest court in India. It makes important decisions about laws and rights in the country.
Jammu and Kashmir -: Jammu and Kashmir is a region in the northern part of India. It used to be a state but is now a Union Territory.
Statehood Restoration -: Statehood restoration means making Jammu and Kashmir a state again, instead of a Union Territory.
Plea -: A plea is a request made to a court asking for a specific decision or action.
Article 370 -: Article 370 was a special law that gave Jammu and Kashmir more autonomy than other Indian states. It was removed in 2019.
Union of India -: The Union of India refers to the central government of India, which is responsible for the entire country.
Federal structure -: The federal structure in India means that power is shared between the central government and the states. Each has its own responsibilities.
Autonomy -: Autonomy means having the freedom to govern oneself or make one’s own decisions. For Jammu and Kashmir, it means having more control over its own affairs.