SC refers all petitions on Article 370 to 5-judge Constitution Bench

SC also issued notice to the Centre on plea by Kashmir Times Executive Editor seeking a direction for relaxing restrictions on internet, landline, and other communication channels

Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday referred all petitions challenging the scrapping of Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, to a five-judge Constitution Bench.

The Supreme Court issued a notice to the Centre and others and said that the five-judge Constitution Bench would hear all the petitions related to abrogation of Article 370 in the first week of October. 

The apex court also issued a notice to the Centre on the plea by Kashmir Times Executive Editor, Anuradha Bhasin, seeking a direction for relaxing restrictions on internet, landline, and other communication channels. The SC sought a detailed response from the Centre within 7 days. 

Further, the Supreme Court refused a request from the Centre to appoint an interlocutor for Jammu & Kashmir. 

In another development, the Supreme Court also allowed CPM leader Sitaram Yechury to visit J&K and meet his party leader and former MLA, Yousuf Tarigami. Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi said, "We will permit you to go, you are the general secretary of a party. Don't go for anything else." The apex court also said that Yechury's visit should only be to meet Tarigami as a friend, and not for any political purpose.