Critical plea on J&K in SC today
Life in Kashmir on Sunday came to a standstill owing to a complete shutdown called by separatist against the legal challenge in the Supreme Court on the validity of Article 35-A, which bars people from outside Jammu and Kashmir from acquiring any immovable property in the state.
Brought in through a presidential order, Article 35 A confers special rights on the J&K Assembly to define “permanent residents” of the state and assign special rights and privileges to them. It stems from Maharaja Hari Singh’s order in 1927, which restricted government employment and ownership of land to state subjects.
The ongoing challenge to the constitutional validity of Article 35-A is rooted in the fact that it was inserted in the Constitution through an executive order by then President Rajendra Prasad, and not by Parliament.
Protests have been held across the length and breadth of Kashmir over the past few days with mainstream parties like the National Conference and PDP also holding rallies in support of Article 35-A.
The ongoing Amarnath Yatra, too, has been partially suspended due to the shutdown. The police said no pilgrim was being allowed to move from the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu. Special check posts have been set up in Udhampur and Ramban to ensure that the movement of pilgrims did not take place on the Jammu-Srinagar highway which passes through these two districts. Incidentally, the state government has filed an application before the Registrar of the Supreme Court, informing that it is going to seek an adjournment on the hearing in view of the "ongoing preparations for the upcoming Panchayat and urban local body and municipal elections in the state".