SC begins hearing petitions challenging Article 370 abrogation

Srinagar, Aug 02: The Supreme Court of India has begun hearing a batch of petitions challenging the abrogation of Article 370 and the reorganization of Jammu and Kashmir.

The apex court is hearing the petitions after a gap of four years.

A 5-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud is hearing the batch of petitions challenging the 2019 Presidential Order taking away the special status accorded to the erstwhile state of J&K and its bifurcation into two Union Territories.

The Constitution Bench, also comprising Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Sanjiv Khanna, B R Gavai, and Surya Kant, would hear the matter consecutively starting from August 2, except for Mondays and Fridays.

CJI Chandrachud and Justice Khanna are the new members of the latest 5-judge bench as CJI N V Ramana and Justice Subhash Reddy, who were part of the earlier bench, had retired.

The clutch of petitions was recently heard on July 11 to complete the necessary pre-hearing formalities from March 2, 2020, when another Constitution Bench ruled against the necessity of referring the matter to a seven-judge bench.

In a fresh affidavit before the top court, the Central government has defended the revocation of the special status of J&K, saying that its decision to dilute Article 370 has brought unprecedented development, progress, security, and stability in the region.