L-G, Mehbooba seek visiting CJI’s attention with opposing views on Article 370

The Centre’s decision to abrogate the provisions of Article 370 in 2019 took centre stage in Srinagar again on Friday, with Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud in the city to chair the 19th All India Meet of the Legal Services Authorities. A number of pleas against the abrogation are pending before the Supreme Court.

The Centre’s decision to abrogate the provisions of Article 370 in 2019 took centre stage in Srinagar again on Friday, with Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud in the city to chair the 19th All India Meet of the Legal Services Authorities. A number of pleas against the abrogation are pending before the Supreme Court.

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, who addressed the legal meet, praised the Centre’s move to do away with the special constitutional position of J&K since 1947.

Also read:Explained | How Kashmir’s Special Status and Article 370 are being changed

“The abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A brought historic reforms and a new era in J&K. Today, the Union Territory (UT) is offering limitless possibilities to the people, especially to those from the weaker section of the society, who were deprived of the benefits of the laws enacted by the Parliament,” the L-G said. Describing the past four years as “synonymous with peace, progress and prosperity”, Mr. Sinha said that “the world has seen our capability, our socio-economic growth during last month’s G20 meeting.”

The L-G informed the legal luminaries who attended the meeting that the administration had scrapped “obsolete land rules” in J&K. “Land passbooks were issued in three languages to empower farmers and landowners. Transparent and accountable governance has ensured that development benefits to all sections and areas, victims of unbalanced progress were brought into the developmental mainstream,” he added.

Also read:Full text of document on govt.’s rationale behind removal of special status to J&K

Former J&K chief minister and People’s Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti’s position was starkly contrary to the L-G. Taking to Twitter, she sought the attention of the CJI on the “illegal revocation” of Article 370.