With opposition parties set to take on the PDP-BJP government in the legislative assembly over multiple legal challenges to Article 35-A and Article 370, speaker Kavinder Gupta on Tuesday said that these issues shouldn’t be discussed as they are sub-judice.
Asked whether he would allow a discussion on Articles 35A and 370 which give special status to Jammu and Kashmir, Gupta said: “They (such issues) should not be discussed because they are sub-judice. I don’t think discussion is allowed on sub-judice issues.”
The opposition National Conference, Congress and other independent legislators from Kashmir are likely to raise these emotive issues during the budget session beginning Tuesday and may seek a discussion on them.
Interestingly, legislator from Langate constituency ErAbdur Rashid has also submitted a resolution urging the House to resolve that Article 35A and Article 370 should be kept out of judicial review.
“It is high time for Mehbooba Mufti, Omar Abdullah and others to support the resolution to give a message to New Delhi that we are one when it comes to protecting the state’s special position,” Rashid told Greater Kashmir.
J&K is caught in a bit of uncertainty over the past one year due to multiple legal challenges to its special status. Several petitions have been submitted in the Supreme Court seeking scrapping of the Article 35A which empowers J&K legislature to confer special rights and privileges on its state subjects. The Article 370 has also been challenged in the top court after the Delhi High Court dismissed a similar petition.