Article 370 verdict on Dec 11: Omar, Mehbooba express apprehensions; security beefed up in J&K

The Supreme Court will deliver its verdict on December 11 on petitions challenging the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution. It may be recalled that Article 370, which granted a special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, was repealed in August 2019. Hence, the state was bifurcated into two Union Territories – Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, reports ETV Bharat's Muhammad Zulqarnain Zulfi.

Srinagar:Former Chief Ministers of Jammu and Kashmir raised their concerns on Saturday ahead of the Supreme Court's decision on Article 370. The Chief Justice Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud-led Constitution Bench of the apex court will pronounce its judgment on petitions contesting the constitutionality of the Centre's 2019 amendments to Article 370 of the Constitution and the division of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir into the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh on December 11.

Omar Abdullah, the vice-president of the National Conference (NC) was concerned that "mainstream politicians in Kashmir might be placed under house arrest" prior to the Supreme Court's decision, while Mehbooba Mufti, the president of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), felt that the judgement of the apex court may not be in the "best interests of the nation."

"They have an excuse, which is all they needed to place us (mainstream leaders) under house arrest. We are just as unaware of the outcome as they are. If they know, then there should be an investigation," Omar, who is also a former Chief Minister, told reporters in south Kashmir's Kulgam days ahead of Monday's decision.

He further said, "Who will say with authority what is to happen? I lack the necessary machinery to ascertain what the five honourable judges have on their hearts or what they have written in their verdict. None of us can guarantee that we will be successful; all I can do is hope and pray that the verdict is in our favour. We're waiting for the decision."

Mehbooba, the only female Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, stated that the administration's actions suggest that the Supreme Court's decision may not be in the best interests of the nation. Speaking to reporters in Anantnag, she stated, "Since Friday night, we have observed that lists containing the names of party workers, particularly those of the PDP, are being taken from police stations. It appears that this decision is being made not for the benefit of this nation or Jammu and Kashmir, but rather to advance the agenda of the BJP. As a result, unfortunate precautionary measures are being taken."

She claimed that it is the duty of the apex court to maintain the integrity of the nation and its Constitution rather than advance the agenda of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). "The court's ruling should make it clear that the BJP-led Centre's move to abrogate provisions of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, was "illegal, unconstitutional," and that it went against the people of Jammu and Kashmir and their pledges," Mehbooba pointed out.

"Initially, the matter took a long time for the Supreme Court to take up. It took five years. Then, in earlier rulings, the Supreme Court said that no one, except the Jammu and Kashmir Constituent Assembly, could abrogate Article 370. Therefore, I believe the verdict should be clear-cut: everything done on August 5, 2019, against Jammu and Kashmir and the pledges given to the local population, was unlawful and unconstitutional," she added.

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Ministers voiced their concerns regarding the Supreme Court's ruling on Article 370, but Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Ravindra Raina asserted that he and all Indian citizens will accept the court's decision on Monday because "there is no politics in the courts."

"We will respect the Supreme Court's ruling on Article 370. Politics has no power over our judiciary. That place is devoid of political agendas. The court also required former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Narasimha Rao to appear. The nation as a whole will accept the verdict, whatever it may be," he said while speaking to reporters in Srinagar.

He further said, "I hope that the local political leaders in Jammu and Kashmir will respect the court's decision, regardless of whether they are members of the National Conference, PDP, Apni Party, Congress, or People's Conference." "The Supreme Court's hearing regarding Article 370 was broadcasted online, so not only the citizens of the country, but the entire world watched the entire hearing. They (people) also heard the arguments put out by both parties and took note of the judges' remarks. Whatever the decision, I'm confident that justice will prevail," he said.

Security beefed up in the Valley

As the Supreme Court prepares to deliver its verdict on the Article 370 issue, senior police officers and administrative officials convened a meeting in Srinagar on Friday to discuss the "law and order" situation in the Valley. For the first time, senior superintendents of police and district magistrates from the Kashmir division met together at PCR Kashmir under the direction of Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order), J&K, Vijay Kumar, the Jammu and Kashmir police spokesperson said in a statement.

The spokesperson, further said that the Divisional Commissioner (Kashmir), IGP (Kashmir), Deputy Director Intelligence Bureau, DIGs of all ranges of Kashmir, DIG-CID, and SSP, PCR Kashmir also attended the meeting. "During the meeting, all officers briefed Kumar on the prevailing law and order situation and any such events that may emerge given the verdict. In the meeting, all district heads were directed to keep an ear to the ground and take any preventive and punitive action against breachers of peace," the statement read.