India News | Hope Judiciary Will Uphold Constitution, Give Justice to People of J-K, Ladakh: ANC Leader

Srinagar, Jul 17 (PTI) The Awami National Conference (ANC) on Monday expressed hope that the judiciary follows the Constitution when it hears petitions challenging the abrogation of Article 370 and give justice to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

ANC is one of the petitioners challenging the revocation of Article 370 in the Supreme Court.

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"After four years, the hearings into this case have started in the court. After August 2, the hearings will take place on a regular basis till they are completed. We hope the decision will come out in a few months," ANC senior vice president Muzaffar Ahmad Shah told reporters here.

He said not just the country, but the whole world has its eyes on the Supreme Court of India over the issue.

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"Today, it is the test of the Supreme Court. They have to uphold the Constitution of the country which gave us Article 370, and deliver justice to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh," he said.

Referring to the case, Shah said the Central government has based its arguments on 32 points, "but all of them are wrong", alleging that the Centre has "lied to the court".

"They also submitted an affidavit in the court, but it was rejected and the court said the issue being discussed is the constitutionality of the country," he said, referring to the Centre's recent affidavit in which it has claimed that the situation in J-K has improved after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.

He said the people in the government used to criticise the valley-based parties, "hurled abuses at us".

"I want to tell them that Article 370 still holds so much power that their government may fall even before the 2024 polls. Let them come before the court, everything will be clear," he added.

The ANC leader said there is strong coordination among the parties in the Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), adding that the hearing of the case on a fast-track basis is a huge victory for the erstwhile state and the country.

"I want to tell people of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh that you are in safe hands. We, our lawyers, will stand with a united approach before the SC and we hope for the best," he said.

"Shah said the BJP is continuously saying that after the abortion of Article 370, Kashmir has been totally integrated with India, but, I want to ask them, if J-K was not a part of India till the revocation of Article 370, then are the 11 states having Article 371, a part of India or not? This is a legal and constitutional matter and it will be handled by the court," he added.

On the issue of the J-K administration's announcement of providing five marlas of land to the landless, Shah said the whole J-K Reorganisation Act is under legal challenge and therefore all the laws being implemented here "will be cancelled".

He asked Union Home Minister Amit Shah if everything was normal and peaceful in Kashmir, then why are the assembly elections not being held in J-K?

Shah said the PAGD leaders will meet in a few days to chalk out a strategy in discussion with their legal teams.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)