Andhra BJP leader Lanka Dinakar praises Supreme Court’s verdict on Article 370

Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh) [India], December 11 (ANI): Reiterating the Centre’s ‘One Nation – One Constitution – One Flag’ slogan, Andhra Pradesh BJP chief spokesperson Lanka Dinakar on Monday welcomed the Supreme Court’s verdict on Article 370.

“We welcome the Honourable Supreme Court’s decision on the abrogation of Article 370. The decision to abrogate Article 370 was taken by the Union Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji and Home Minister Amith Shah ji for fulfilling the legitimate constitutional aspirations of the people of Kashmir for the decades,” Dinakar said.

“Narendra Modi ji led union government stands for ‘One Nation – One Constitution – One Flag’ and made the thing a reality for the sake of providing constitutional rights to the people of Kashmir along with the people residing outside the Kashmir in Bharath (India),” Dinakar said.

“Further, those who want to divide the people of Kashmir from the people of Bharath for their political gains with ulterior motives have lost their faith among the public of our nation,” the BJP leader said.

“Now the people of Kashmir have been enjoying social and economic freedom. But few people intended to disturb it by knocking on the doors of the Supreme Court to roll back the decision of the Union Government as declared by Rahul Gandhi. Finally, five Members Judges Judgement favoured the aspirations of the public in Kashmir as stands by the Union Government,” he added.

Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court on Monday upheld the Union Government’s decision to abrogate Article 370 of the constitution, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir and said that every decision taken by the Centre on behalf of a state can’t be subject to a legal challenge.

A five-judge Constitution bench comprising Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Sanjiv Khanna, BR Gavai, and Surya Kant delivered the verdict.

CJI Chandrachud, reading out the judgement, said that every decision taken by the Centre on behalf of a state under proclamation can’t be subject to a legal challenge and it will lead to the administration of the state coming to a standstill.

The Supreme Court said that it has held that Article 370 is a temporary provision.

“The proclamation of Maharaja stated that the Constitution of India will supersede. With this, the para of Instrument of Accession ceases to exist. Article 370 was an interim arrangement due to war conditions in the state. Textual reading also indicates that Article 370 is a temporary provision,” the Court said.

On August 5, 2019, the central government announced the revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir granted under Article 370 and split the region into two union territories.

The Supreme Court also directed the Election Commission to hold Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections by September 30, 2024. The apex court said that in view of the Centre’s submission on restoration of statehood of Jammu and Kashmir, it directs that statehood shall be restored as soon as possible.