SC to take up plea on Nov 5

NEWDELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday adjourned for November 5, the plea filed by child rights activist, Enakshi Ganguly, claiming “detention of children” in Jammu and Kashmir, after the abrogation of Article 370 and subsequent shutdown in the Valley.

A bench of the apex court, headed by Justice NV Ramana, adjourned the petition of Enakshi Ganguly to November 5.

The PIL was filed by Enakshi Ganguly, and Professor Shanta Sinha, the first Chairperson of the National Commission for Child Rights (NCPCR).

Attorney General, KK Venugopal, the top law officer representing the Union of India, sought more time to reply to the submissions made by the petitioner, Enakshi Ganguly.

The apex court allowed the submissions of Venugopal and granted him more time to file his submissions, and adjourned the matter.

Earlier this month, The Jammu and Kashmir Juvenile Justice Committee submitted a report to the SC claiming that “144 juveniles, including children aged nine and 11, were arrested since August 5 after the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir”.

The committee’s report said that juveniles were arrested but no child is under illegal detention in the Valley.

The report said some children were released on the same day of arrest, while the rest were proceeded as juveniles in conflict with law under the provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act 2013.

It said the DGP has refuted the media reports saying such reports generated with the intention to “malign police” and to create the story which may have an element of “sensationalism” and “imagined from thin air”.