CJI berates Adv ML Sharma for poor drafting of petition challenging Art 370 revocation

Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi on Friday berated advocate Manohar Lal Sharma for the poor drafting of the petition challenging the revocation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.

"What kind of petition is this? What are your pleadings, prayer? We don't want to dismiss it because it might affect other petitions which are pending before us," Gogoi told Sharma adding that the court is in the midst of hearing Ayodhya but giving him a special hearing.

"In a matter of this nature, how can you file such a petition?" CJI said.

The CJI also said, there are six petitions filed on Jammu and Kashmir issue but four of them are still "defective", which shows the seriousness of the petitioners on the issue, including Sharma.

"This is not the way to file the petition on such an important issue. We could have dismissed petition outright but it would affect other petitions filed on the Jammu and Kashmir issue," Gogoi said.

After getting slammed by the Apex Court, Sharma pleaded to the CJI that he will file an amended petition.

Reacting to his appeal, the CJI said: "I read your petition for half an hour but could not understand what it is about."

Another petitioner, Executive Editor of Kashmir Times Anuradha Bhasin's lawyer told the Supreme Court that her petition has nothing to do with revocation of Article 370.

"My petition is for restoring mobile connectivity and landline and others. The press freedom is adversely affected by imposing such kind of restrictions on mobile connectivity and landline and others. It should be restored," the lawyer told the three-judge bench headed by Gogoi.

Opposing the arguments, Solicitor General (SG)Tushar Mehta told the bench that the "security agencies are taking daily stock of the situation and we know the ground reality".

He also told the top court that the restrictions in the region would be removed in the next few days.

After hearing the argument from both sides, the bench did not pass any order.

On another petition filed by Kashmiri lawyer Shakir Shabir against the Presidential order by which Article 370 was withdrawn from Jammu and Kashmir, seeking direction to declare it "illegal and unconstitutional", the Supreme Court said that it will check the petition with the registrar.

The petition filed by Shabir sought direction for the government to prevent all forms of human rights violation and exercise restraint while dealing with the bonafide citizens of the nation.