SC finally takes up petitions challenging Article 370 abrogation

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to list before a constitution bench post summer vacation a score of petitions pending since 2019 against the abrogation of Article 370 which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir. The summer vacation is from May 22 to July 9, and the earliest the matter may come up is in July or August. Chief Justice of India NV Ramana, who is retiring on August 26, made it clear that he will reconstitute the bench and will not head it as decided in 2019 by then CJI Ranjan Gogoi.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India NV Ramana and Justice Hima Kohli took note of the submissions by senior advocate Shekhar Naphade, appearing for one of the petitioners, that the plea needed an urgent hearing in view of the delimitation being carried out in the Union Territory/state. “Let me see,” the CJI said, adding, “this is a five-judge matter. I will have to reconstitute the bench,” indicating that he will not head it.

Several petitions challenging the Centre's decision to abrogate provisions of Article 370 and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, which splits J-K into two Union Territories -- Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh -- were referred to a constitution bench headed by Justice NV Ramana in 2019 by the then CJI Ranjan Gogoi.