Express News Service
NEW DELHI: The Centre on Thursday told the Supreme Court that it is ready to hold elections in Jammu and Kashmir once the Election Commission of India decides the dates. However, it did not give a timeframe on restoring statehood to J&K, though it reiterated that its current status as a Union Territoty was temporary.
Updation of the voters’ list is almost complete, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed a Constitution bench led by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud. As to when elections would be held, it for the State Election Commission and the Election Commission of India to decide after considering the overall situation, he said.
Elections at three levels are due — panchayat, municipality and the legislative Assembly. “As far as statehood is concerned, Union Territory is a temporary phenomenon,” Mehta said. “We are dealing with extraordinary situation. State will have to be infused with several things so that it becomes a state so to say,” he added. Highlighting the positives post revoking Article 370, Mehta said infiltration, law and order issues, stone pelting, hartals have all come down.
The Centre has take various steps to boost investments in the area and several projects have come up, he pointed out. However, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the petitioners, alleged that the Centre is trying to project an image of normalcy in J&K while house arrest and Internet shutdown are on in the Union Territory.
The CJI reassured him that the facts presented before the court would have no bearing on the constitutional issue regarding the reading down of Article 370. The constitutional challenge would have to be answered by the Centre on the same grounds and not by quoting statistics.“These facts would have no bearing on the constitutional issue.
This cannot be an answer to the constitutional challenge,” Chandrachud said. The top court in its last hearing had asked the Centre to provide a roadmap for restoration of statehood to J&K. During the hearing, Attorney General R Venkataramani said the President could have abrogated Article 370 unilaterally but instead took the Legislative Assembly’s recommendation
Statehood to take time: Government“The exact time frame for restoration of complete statehood in J&K cannot be given at the moment. It might take some time,” Tushar Mehta said
NEW DELHI: The Centre on Thursday told the Supreme Court that it is ready to hold elections in Jammu and Kashmir once the Election Commission of India decides the dates. However, it did not give a timeframe on restoring statehood to J&K, though it reiterated that its current status as a Union Territoty was temporary.
Updation of the voters’ list is almost complete, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed a Constitution bench led by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud. As to when elections would be held, it for the State Election Commission and the Election Commission of India to decide after considering the overall situation, he said.
Elections at three levels are due — panchayat, municipality and the legislative Assembly. “As far as statehood is concerned, Union Territory is a temporary phenomenon,” Mehta said. “We are dealing with extraordinary situation. State will have to be infused with several things so that it becomes a state so to say,” he added. Highlighting the positives post revoking Article 370, Mehta said infiltration, law and order issues, stone pelting, hartals have all come down.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
The Centre has take various steps to boost investments in the area and several projects have come up, he pointed out. However, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the petitioners, alleged that the Centre is trying to project an image of normalcy in J&K while house arrest and Internet shutdown are on in the Union Territory.
The CJI reassured him that the facts presented before the court would have no bearing on the constitutional issue regarding the reading down of Article 370. The constitutional challenge would have to be answered by the Centre on the same grounds and not by quoting statistics.“These facts would have no bearing on the constitutional issue.
This cannot be an answer to the constitutional challenge,” Chandrachud said. The top court in its last hearing had asked the Centre to provide a roadmap for restoration of statehood to J&K. During the hearing, Attorney General R Venkataramani said the President could have abrogated Article 370 unilaterally but instead took the Legislative Assembly’s recommendation
Statehood to take time: Government
“The exact time frame for restoration of complete statehood in J&K cannot be given at the moment. It might take some time,” Tushar Mehta said
