SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir government is seeking an adjournment of the hearing in Article 35(A) case that is slated to be heard on August 31, official sources said. They have reiterated the reason that the state was preparing for the local body polls.
State government’s advocate on record M Shoeb Alam has moved a formal application seeking an adjournment in the case regarding 35A. The Supreme Court has clubbed four cases together. These include the petition filed by NGO We the Citizens (WP 722 of 2014), West Pakistan Refugees Action Committee (WP 871 of 2015), Dr Cahru Wali Khanna (WP 396 of 2017, Kali Dar V/S Union of India (WP 871 of 2017) and Radhika Gill versus Union of India (WP 398 of 2018).
“The undersigned will be seeking an adjournment in the aforesaid matter on 31-08-2018 on account of the ongoing preparations for the upcoming Panchayat / Urban local body and municipal elections in the state of Jammu and Kashmir,” the application reads.
The application was moved on August 29, almost on the eve of a two-day strike starting August 30. The strike supported by almost everybody in Kashmir is being spearheaded by the JoimntResistance Leadership (JRL) comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and Yasin Malik.
The hearing in the case was adjourned twice in the last few weeks for various reasons.
The Article challenged by the writ petitions is a protection to the distinct identity of the Jammu and Kashmir state. The issue has created a sort of joint response from all the political groups, trade and civil society despite the differences they would exhibit on almost every other issue.
