The Supreme Court on Monday asked National Conference MP Mohd Akbar Lone to file an affidavit swearing allegiance to the Constitution of India and accepting the country's sovereignty unconditionally, after the 'Pakistan zindabad' slogan that he allegedly raised in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly in 2018 kicked up a massive row. Lone, the lead petitioner challenging the abrogation of Article 370 that accorded special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, will file the affidavit by Tuesday, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who represented him in the matter, told a five-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud. The senior lawyer said he will not represent Lone if he does not file the affidavit as sought.
"He is an MP of Lok Sabha. He is a citizen of India and sworn to his office by the Constitution. He accepts the sovereignty of India," Sibal told the bench, also comprising Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Sanjiv Khanna, BR Gavai and Surya Kant. Earlier in the day, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for Centre, told the bench that the central government wanted Lone to apologise for raising ‘Pakistan zindabad' (long live Pakistan) slogan in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly in 2018.
Lone has to state that he owes allegiance to Constitution and apologises for raising slogan on floor of House, the law officer said, while pointing to matter having been brought to court's notice by a Kashmiri Pandit group.
NGO 'Roots in Kashmir', which claims to be a group of Kashmiri Pandit youths, has questioned the credentials of Lone, claiming he was a supporter of secessionist forces. The moment bench re-assembled in the post-lunch session, Justice Kaul pointed to Sibal that lawyers for respondents (those supporting abrogation of Article 370) have submitted that what Lone allegedly said was "not in sync". Sibal said, "I'm not concerned with that. If he has said it, in what circumstances, is it recorded, you ask him for an affidavit. I won't stand for him in this court, if he doesn't file an affidavit."