Top court refuses plea that not more than two weeks be given to Govt
ONKAR SINGH / NEW DELHI
The Supreme Court today fixed November 14th to commence hearing on a batch of petitions challenging Constitutional validity of the Centre’s decision to abrogate Article 370 that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
A five-judge Constitution Bench headed by Justice N V Ramana has given four weeks’ time to the Centre and the Jammu and Kashmir Administration to file counter-affidavits on petitions challenging scrapping of Article 370.
The top court refused the plea of petitioners that not more than two weeks be given to the Centre and J&K Administration for this purpose.
The apex court also put embargo on filing of any fresh writ petition challenging Constitutional validity on abrogation of Article 370. The bench said one-week time would be for the petitioners to file their replies to the counter-affidavit that would be filed by the Centre and Jammu and Kashmir Administration within four weeks.
The bench also comprising Justices S K Kaul, R Subhash Reddy, B R Gavai and Surya Kant said they can not decide the matter without getting counter-affidavit by the Centre and the J&K Administration.