The National Conference on Saturday moved the Supreme Court challenging the changes made in the constitutional status of Jammu & Kashmir, contending that these have taken away rights of its citizens without their mandate. In a separate petition, the editor of a daily from the State sought the removal of restrictions imposed on working of journalists in the State after scrapping of Article 370.
Arguing that the legislation approved by Parliament and the orders issued by the President subsequently were “unconstitutional”, the petition filed by two NC MPs, Mohammad Akbar Lone and Justice (rtd) Hasnain Masoodi, prayed for these to be declared “void and inoperative”.
Lone is a former Speaker of the Jammu & Kashmir Assembly and Masoodi is a retired judge of Jammu & Kashmir High Court. Masoodi had ruled in 2015 that the Article 370 was a permanent feature of the Constitution.
As for the petition regarding media rights, Anuradha Bhasin, Executive Editor of Kashmir Times, has sought directions for restoration of all modes of communication, including mobile internet and landline services, throughout the State in order to provide an enabling environment for the media to practise its profession.
In the petition, the editor said she is seeking a direction for the Centre and the Jammu & Kashmir administration to immediately relax all restrictions on freedom of movement of journalists and media personnel in Kashmir and some districts of Jammu.
The direction was sought in order to enable media personnel to practise their profession and exercise their right to report in furtherance of their rights under Article 14, 19 (1) (a) and 19 (1) (g) and 21 of the Constitution as well as the right to know of the residents of the Kashmir Valley, the petition said.