The situation in Jammu and Kashmir is “very sensitive” and reasonable time should be given to the government to ensure normalcy returns there, the Supreme Court said on Tuesday, 13 August, while refusing to pass any immediate order to the Centre to lift restrictions, including on communication, imposed in the region after the abrogation of Article 370.
The court said that it will wait for normalcy to return in J&K, and added that it will take up the matter after two weeks.
A three-judge Bench, headed by Justice Arun Mishra and comprising Justices MR Shah and Ajay Rastogi, was hearing the petition filed by Congress activist Tehseen Poonawalla, on the Centre's decision to impose restrictions and “other regressive measures” in J&K following the effective revocation of Article 370.
Stating that the present situation in Jammu and Kashmir is “very sensitive”, the court directed the administration to ensure that there is no loss of life in the region.
While senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy – arguing for Poonawalla – made submissions stating that due to all type of communication being severed, people failed to speak on the festive occasion, the Bench said, “Nothing can be done overnight. There are serious issues. Normalcy would return and we expect it will come with time. What is important is it has to be ensured that no life is lost.”
Govt Ensuring No Violence, Human Rights Violations Take Place: Centre
The Centre told the Bench that they are reviewing the situation in the region on a day-to-day basis and reports come from respective district magistrates, with relaxations being ordered accordingly.
“We have to ensure that law and order situation in Jammu and Kashmir is maintained,” Attorney General KK Venugopal told the Bench.
Venugopal said that in the present situation, it will take few days to restore normalcy in J&K. He said that not a single death has been reported since last Monday, after the restrictions were imposed.
Venugopal added that the government is ensuring that no violence or human rights violations take place there.
“The situation is such that nobody knows what exactly is happening there. Some time should be given for bringing normalcy. They are analysing the situation on a day-to-day basis.”SC Bench
(With inputs from PTI)
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