J&K: SC to Hear Petitions Challenging Validity of Article 35A
J&K: SC to Hear Petitions Challenging Validity of Article 35A Amid tense situation in Jammu and Kashmir, Supreme Court to hear petitions challenging the validity of Article 35A which empowers Jammu and Kashmir state's legislature to define 'permanent residents' of the state and provide special rights to them. The J&K government had on Friday moved an application before the top court and sought to defer the hearing of the case. The same is being protested by the separatist groups in the state, who have called for a two-day strike in the valley from August 5 against what they called serious challenge to Article 35A of the constitution. Speaking on the same, moderate Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq had tweeted, "RL (Joint Resistance Leadership) met to deliberate serious challenge posed to Art (Article) 35A, want to make it clear to GOI (Government of India) any and every attempt made at changing the demographic nature of the state will be stiffly resisted". Article 35-A was incorporated into the Constitution by a presidential order in 1954, stating, all those living in Jammu and Kashmir at that time and also those who lived in the state for 10 years anytime since, would be considered as its permanent residents. -PTC News
