“Tried explaining to CJI…” Omar Abdullah as SC hears Article 370 pleas

New Delhi [India], August 3 (ANI): National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said that he tried to explain his perspective on the development that took place on August 5, 2019 to the Supreme Court.

“We tried explaining to the Chief Justice of India and his associate judge, our motive, our perspective of what happened on 5th August 2019 and what we are expecting from the SC,” Omar Abdullah said.

“Honourable Chief Justice and his associate judge also raised several questions which is the work of the court,” he added.

Speaking about the legality of the abrogation of Article 370, Omar Abdullah said, “This is all about the Constitution. About the country’s laws and Jammu and Kashmir’s law and the relation that had existed between them.”

Opposing the dramatic move taken by the central government, Omar Abdullah said, “Whatever happened on 5th August 2019, was against the law of the country and the Jammu and Kashmir. We hope that the SC sees this from our perspective…We are talking about the Constitution and not its politics…This is a big issue for Jammu and Kashmir…”

A five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court on Wednesday began hearing on a batch of petitions challenging the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union territories.

The Constitution bench comprising Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Sanjiv Khanna, BR Gavai, and Surya Kant asked Sibal about who can recommend the revocation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir when no Constituent Assembly exists there.

How can a provision (Article 370), which was specifically mentioned as a temporary provision in the Constitution, become permanent after tenure of the Jammu and Kashmir Constituent Assembly came to an end in 1957, asked the bench.

He contended that the Parliament could not have declared itself to be the legislature of Jammu and Kashmir in order to facilitate the abrogation of Article 370 as Article 354 of the Constitution does not authorise such an exercise of power.