SC Likely to Hear Plea on Jammu Kashmir Statehood Restoration Next Week

SRINAGAR: A plea seeking the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood is likely to be heard by the Supreme Court of India on August 14, according to advocate Soayib Qureshi, who is representing the petitioners.

Qureshi confirmed that the matter is expected to be listed on August 14. “We have prayed for a time-bound direction for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood,” he said, adding that the case has not been listed for hearing on August 8.

The plea was mentioned before a bench comprising Chief Justice of India BR Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran on August 5 by senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan. He pointed out that although the hearing was listed on the court’s website for August 8, there were concerns it might be delisted. The CJI acknowledged the concern and assured it would remain on the list.

Filed by Zahoor Ahmad Bhat, a lawyer and academician, along with socio-political activist Khurshaid Ahmad Malik, the petition argues that the continued delay in restoring statehood violates the principle of federalism — a core feature of the Constitution’s basic structure.

The petitioners have also contended that there has been no progress on the implementation of the Supreme Court’s December 2023 directive, which stated that the “restoration of statehood shall take place at the earliest and as soon as possible.”

The legal development comes at a time when political momentum around the issue is growing. The Congress party has launched a campaign demanding restoration of statehood, while Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has written to all political parties, including the BJP, urging them to introduce a bill in the current monsoon session of Parliament to reinstate Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood. (KNO)