The Supreme Court on Monday refused to interfere with the poll schedule in Jammu & Kashmir as it dismissed a petition by a political party in the State for postponement of elections on account of massive displacement of about eight million people due to floods.
The Bench headed by Chief Justice Hl Dattu dismissed the petition of Awami National Conference finding no ground to interfere with the poll process already set in motion. With harsh winter setting in the State and relief and rehabilitation work still on, the court also directed the State Government to inform by Monday on the steps taken to provide food, warm clothes to affected residents.
When the State insisted on getting Central fund, the Supreme Court asked, “Don’t you have money…for everything you have to depend on Centre.” The State demanded an additional sum of over `300 crore to meet the demand of free ration, blankets, clothes as due to Model Code in place it was not in a position to release funds from CM Relief Fund.
The court quizzed the State over the efficacy of the State disaster management authority and the steps taken by it so far. It further indicated that it will not force the Centre to take quick decisions on additional release of `44,000 crore towards relief and rehabilitation. ASG Tushar Mehta informed the Bench that a decision to provide `41,000 crore is under consideration of the Finance Ministry and Planning Commission. Presently, the Centre had released a sum of `1,000 crore to the State.