SC seeks Centre's response on plea seeking restoration of statehood to J-K

The Supreme Court on Thursday sought a response from the Centre on a plea seeking the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran also took note of the submissions of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, that there were "several considerations which go into the decision-making process".

It listed the plea, filed by academician Zahoor Ahmad Bhat and socio-political activist Ahmad Malik, for hearing after eight weeks.

"You cannot ignore what happened in Pahalgam... It is for Parliament and the Executive to take a decision," the CJI said when senior lawyer Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing for Bhat, sought an early hearing.

On December 11, 2023, the Supreme Court unanimously upheld the revocation of Article 370, which accorded a special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, even as it ordered that assembly elections be held in the union territory by September 2024 and its statehood be restored "at the earliest".

Last year, a plea was filed in the top court seeking directions to the Centre for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir within two months.