Supreme Court Directs J&K to Produce Orders on Restrictions

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Jammu and Kashmir administration to place before it those orders under which communications were restricted in the Valley after the abrogation of Article 370 which granted special status to J&K. The Supreme Court also questioned why the J&K administration has not placed the orders and notifications imposing communication restrictions in the state. Appearing for Jammu and Kashmir, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told a bench headed by Justice N.V. Ramana that he would place the administrative orders relating to communication restrictions to be examined by the Supreme Court only. He also said that nobody can sit in appeal over administrative decisions taken in the national interest. “Only the Supreme Court can look into it and certainly not the petitioners,” Mehta said.

He also told the court that he will also file a fresh affidavit as circumstances relating to restrictions have changed. The bench noted that mobile services have been restored in J&K, but the counsel of one of the petitioners told the court that SMS services were restricted by authorities on Tuesday. The Supreme Court was hearing various petitions on issues related to the restriction of movement and communications, including one by Kashmir Times Executive Editor Anuradha Bhasin.

The top court also pulled up Jammu and Kashmir's administration for not filing the affidavit on a plea of Asifa Mubeen, wife of a Malaysia-based NRI businessman who has challenged her husband’s detention, saying that it is about liberty of a person. J&K assured the court that it will file the affidavit. Thereafter the court has adjourned the matter to October 25 for further hearing. (IANS)

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