Article 370 Abrogation: Supreme Court to start day-to-day hearing from August 2

The Supreme Court will start day-to-day hearing from August 2 a batch of pleas challenging abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution that granted special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

“The hearing of the petitions before the constitution bench shall commence on August 2, 10:30 am and then proceed on day to day basis barring miscellaneous days that is Mondays and Fridays,” the order said.

Mondays and Fridays are days for hearing miscellaneous matters in the apex court.

All parties have been asked to fill documents, compilations and written submissions by July 27.

A Constitution bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud has appointed two advocates – Prasanna and Kanu Agrawal – one from the petitioner’s side and the government side, to prepare convenience compilation and file it before July 27.

The court made it clear that after July 27, no documents will be accepted.

The Constitution bench said the affidavit filed by the Centre on Monday with regard to conditions prevailing post August 5, 2019, notification in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir have no bearing on the constitutional issue to be adjudicated by the five-judge bench.

The affidavit filed by the Union Home Ministry on Monday stated that after the abrogation of Article 370, Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed unprecedented stability and progress, with stone pelting and school closures becoming a thing of the past.

Meanwhile, two petitioners — IAS officer Shah Faesal and Shehla Rashid Shora — sought permission to withdraw of their pleas and were allowed by the bench on Tuesday.

Appearing for the Centre, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, said he has no difficulty if anyone wishes to withdraw his or her name from the list of petitioners.

The Centre on August 5, 2019, had decided to strip the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir of special status and bifurcate it into two Union Territories – Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

More than 20 petitions are pending before the Supreme Court of India challenging the government’s decision to abrogate Article 370 of the Constitution.

With inputs from agencies