The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir to respond on the steps taken by the State Government to restore calm and communal harmony in Kishtwar district following recent incidents of violence.
A PIl filed by a local resident brought to the notice of the court the plight faced by several pilgrims who required safe passage as they were stranded in the far reaches of Jammu due to curfew in Kishtwar.
A Bench headed by Chief Justice P Sathasivam refused to go by the petitioner’s allegation complaining administrative lethargy to contain the violence and left it for the State to take appropriate steps. “We cannot control the administration. They are the right and the best persons to control the situation. They are in the field. They must act with free hand to control the situation.
The Bench said that it was not underestimating the seriousness of the situation but it had to go through the ground situation prevailing in Kishtwar for which it sought the Chief Secretary’s report by Wednesday.