Relaxing curbs, pleas alleging complete clampdown in Kashmir incorrect, irrelevant: Centre to SC

The Centre Thursday told the Supreme Court that it had been relaxing the curbs imposed in Jammu and Kashmir after abrogation of Article 370 and claimed that the pleas alleging "complete clampdown" was incorrect and irrelevant.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre and Union Territory Jammu Kashmir, commenced his submissions before a bench headed by Justice NV Ramana and justified certain restrictions imposed in the region after the abrogation of Article 370 which had given special status to the then state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Mehta told the bench that relaxations have been given in the region since August 13 and it was not a complete clampdown as projected by petitioners and said that the pleas including one filed by senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, alleging restrictions, are incorrect, irrelevant and have out-lived their utility.

He said that various central legislations were not applicable in the state before abrogation of Article 370 and laws such as Right to Information and prohibition of child marriage were not applicable to the state earlier.

The Solicitor General told the bench that the authorities have applied their minds in imposing or lifting curbs in the region and services such as post-paid mobile service restarted on October 14 in Jammu and Kashmir.

"Schools have reopened, moreover 917 schools were never shut after abrogation of Article 370," Mehta told the bench also comprising justices R Subhash Reddy and BR Gavai.