Restrictions In Kashmir Will Be Lifted In 'A Few Days', Govt Tells Supreme Court

The situation in Jammu and Kashmir is improving day by day and curbs are being lifted gradually, the Centre told the Supreme Court on Friday. 

The restrictions will be lifted in the “next few days,” Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court, Reuters quoted.

Mehta said the situation was being reviewed daily and added, “Let the security agencies be trusted.”

A special bench comprising Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi and justices SA Bobde and SA Nazeer was hearing a petition filed by advocate ML Sharma challenging the presidential order on Article 370 and a plea by Anuradha Bhasin, executive editor, Kashmir Times seeking the removal of all the restrictions on the working of media. 

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Bhasin’s plea was adjourned after the CJI Gogoi said he would like to give the government a little more time, LiveLaw reported.

“If the press identities are respected and permitted to travel, it will help,” said senior advocate Vrinda Grover, appearing for Bhasin.

“We would like to give little more time on the issue of lifting the restriction on media in Jammu and Kashmir,” the court said, according to PTI.

“We will take up this matter on media restrictions along with other connected matters,” it said, without fixing any particular date. 

“We have read landline connections are being restored and also got a call today from Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court,” the court added.

Attorney General KK Venugopal told the Court that there were no curbs on any publication, Indian Express said .

While hearing ML Sharma’s plea, Chief Justice Gogoi pulled the advocate up during the hearing on his plea and said, “I tried to read the petition for half an hour, I could not understand it. We should dismiss this, but we don’t want to because of the effect it will have on others,” according to LiveLaw.

“You are not praying for setting aside the Presidential order. What is the prayer, it is not clear. It can be dismissed on technical grounds,” the bench said.

Gogoi said that all the other five petitions on Article 370 and Jammu and Kashmir were also defective. 

The top court asked lawyers to cure defects in their six petitions on Article 370 and adjourned the hearing.

The bench also noted that it was hearing the petition on Article 370 by breaking the combination of judges hearing the sensitive Ayodhya matter.