SC refers all petitions on Article 370 to 5-judge Constitution Bench for October hearing

New Delhi: Petitions related challenging the scrapping of Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir,  will be heard by a five-judge Constitution Bench in October, the Supreme Court said today while hearing pleas.

The top court also issued notices to the Centre and Jammu and Kashmir administration on the pleas. “We know what to do, we have passed the order, we are not going to change,” the bench said, as the Centre contended that there was no need for issuance of notice in the matter as Attorney General KK Venugopal and Solicitor General were present in court.

The apex court also issued a notice to the Centre on the plea by Kashmir Times Executive Editor, Anuradha Bhasin, seeking a direction for relaxing restrictions on the internet, landline, and other communication channels. The SC sought a detailed response from the Centre within 7 days.

Further, the Supreme Court refused a request from the Centre to appoint an interlocutor for Jammu & Kashmir.

In another development, the Supreme Court also allowed CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury to visit Jammu and Kashmir to meet his party colleague and former MLA Mohammed Yusuf Tarigami in the state. The CJI-led bench, however, directed Yechury to only meet Tarigami and not use the visit for any political purpose. The bench said if Yechury indulges in any political activities, authorities are free to report them to the apex court.