SC Constitution Bench To Review Scrapping Of Article 370 In October; Apex Court Sends Notice To Centre

The Supreme Court on Wednesday (28 August) referred the petitions challenging the validity of the scrapping of Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, to a Constitution bench, reports LiveLaw.

The SC also issued a notice to the government to respond to the petitions on abrogation of Article 370 as well as restrictions on media in Jammu and Kashmir.

The bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Justices S A Bobde and Abdul Nazeer said that the matters will be heard in early October.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta urged the apex court not to issue a formal notice to the government. He argued that the SC notice would have “cross-border repercussions” and was liable to be misused.

However, the SC declined the request to not issue a formal notice. “We have passed an order… We will not change it,” Chief Justice Gogoi said, reports Hindustan Times.

A batch of petitions have been filed in the SC challenging the scrapping of Article 370, bifurcation of the state into two union territories as well as restrictions imposed in the state following revocation of the special status.