Valley leaders welcome SC decision to begin hearing on Article 370 pleas from July 11

IAS officer Shah Faesal, who was one of the petitioners in the Supreme Court on abrogation of Article 370, termed it as a thing of past. Almost all local leaders have welcomed the decision of the Supreme Court of beginning hearing in Article 370 case.

The bureaucrat said he has withdrawn his petition challenging the Presidential Order to scrap Article 370 a long time back.

The SC Constitution bench comprising Cheif Justice of India DY Chandrachud, and Justices SK Kaul, Sanjiv Khanna, BR Gavai and Surya Kant will take up Article 370 petitions on July 11.

Soon after the abrogation of Article 370 and 35A and bifurcation of J&K into two Union territories, several mainstream political leaders from J&K had filed writ petitions in the SC challenging the decision taken by Central government on August 5, 2019. The SC had clubbed several petitions together and since then leaders and individuals who had filed petitions in the SC have been waiting for the early hearing of the case. The leaders of various political parties have been requesting the CJI for the same.

“Article 370, for many Kashmiris like me, is a thing of past. Jhelum and Ganga have merged in the great Indian Ocean for good. There is no going back. There is only marching forward,” he tweeted.

Former J&K chief minister and chairman of the Democratic Progressive Azad Party and former chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad welcomed the notice issued by the SC for July 11.

“It has been after a long time that the SC has taken note of the petitions challenging abrogation of Article 370. I am hopeful of a positive outcome as I aspire for restoration of full rights which got annulled following the abrogation on August 5, 2019,” said Azad in a statement, adding that Article 370 is in the interest of all regions of J&K, irrespective of caste, creed and religion. “We have been stressing about it from day one, and we believe that the Supreme Court would give justice to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and safeguard their interests,” he said.

Another former chief minister Omar Abdullah also welcomed the SC order. “Finally, the bench is constituted. I look forward to the hearings beginning in right earnest now,” he tweeted.

CPI(M) general secretary and former legislator also welcomed the decision. “The move was an assault on the Constitutional order and was taken without the consent of people,” said Tarigami, one of the petitioners.

Congress spokesman Sheikh Amir while welcoming the decision said judiciary is the last resort and hope. “We hope what has been snatched from us by force will be restored by the SC.”

BJP state spokesman Altaf Thakur said Article 370 was illegal.