SC refuses to refer pleas challenging validity of Article 370 to larger bench

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to refer to a larger bench a batch of pleas, challenging the constitutional validity of Centre's decision of abrogating provisions of Article 370.

The five-judge Constitution bench of the Apex Court, headed by Justice N V Ramana, refused to refer the petitions to a larger bench.

The Supreme Court had earlier heard the detailed arguments and submissions from the respective petitioners and respondent, including that of the Centre's, and had reserved its judgement on the batch of petitions.

In August last year, the government abrogated Article 370, which accorded special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated the region into two Union territories- Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.