All Eyes On Kashmir: Ahead Of Cabinet Meet, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad Meets Home Minister Amit Shah

Amid speculation that Centre is planning a major initiative like scrapping of Article 35A, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad met with Home Minister Amit Shah ahead of the Union Cabinet meet on Monday (5 July).

The Union Cabinet is scheduled to meet at 9.30am this morning, just ahead of the Parliamentary proceedings at 11am.

As per the ToI report, the government is contemplating on scrapping the Article 35A, which prohibits non-permanent residents of the J&K from settling and acquiring immovable property.

Scrapping of Article 35A, as per the sources cited in the report, does not require Parliamentary approval as it was imposed by Presidential order bypassing the Parliament.

Earlier, the state leaders including two former chief ministers Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah were allegedly put under house arrest by the administration.

"How ironic that elected representatives like us who fought for peace are under house arrest. The world watches as people and their voices are being muzzled in J-K," former chief minister of the state Mufti tweeted.

Former chief minister Omar Abdullah also said that he has been put under house arrest. “I believe I’m being placed under house arrest from midnight and the process has already started for other mainstream leaders,” Abdullah said in a tweet.

Besides, People’s Conference leader Sajjad Lone has reportedly also been put under house arrest.

As per the report, section 144 has been imposed in the entire Srinagar district as well as Jammu, in view of the prevailing security situation in recent days. The administration has banned public meetings, gatherings and movement of people.

However, a curfew was not imposed officially. Schools and colleges have been shutdown till further orders. Besides, the internet services has also been suspended.