Supreme Court Seeks Centre’s Reply on Plea for Jammu & Kashmir Statehood

By A Staff Reporter

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Union government to file its response within eight weeks to a petition seeking the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. The plea, filed by Congress MLA Irfan Hafiz Lone and others, comes in the wake of the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, which led to the reorganisation of the former state into two Union Territories.

The petitioners have argued that the restoration of statehood is crucial for ensuring democratic representation and administrative autonomy for the region’s residents. They have urged the court to consider the matter on its merits and deliver a decision that addresses the aspirations of the people.

Lone stated that the people of Jammu and Kashmir have been persistently advocating for the return of statehood and view the Supreme Court’s intervention as a critical step towards that goal.