Indian political party challenges Kashmir move in top court

Petition prays for the legislation to be declared void and inoperative

A political party in India moved the country's Supreme Court on Saturday and challenged a presidential degree revoking occupied Kashmir's autonomous status, reported India Today.



Mohammad Akbar Lone and Justice (retd) Hasnain Masoodi of the National Conference – led by former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah – filed the petition.

According to the petition, the legislation approved by the Indian parliament and the orders issued by the Indian president subsequently were unconstitutional. It prayed for the legislation to be declared as "void and inoperative".

"This case, therefore, goes to the heart of Indian federalism, democratic processes and the rule of the apex court as the guardian of the federal structure," the petition read.

National Conference MPs, Mohd. Akbar Lone and Hasnain Masoodi move the Supreme Court challenging scrapping of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. pic.twitter.com/EXzdU57N7k

— ANI (@ANI) August 10, 2019

Occupied Kashmir has been under an unprecedented lockdown since August 5, when India revoked a special constitutional status dating back nearly 70 years.

Indian police used tear gas and pellets to fight back at least 10,000 people protesting New Delhi’s withdrawal of special rights for Muslim-majority territory in its main city of Srinagar on Friday.

The demonstration soon after prayers yesterday was the largest since authorities locked down the revolt-torn region five days ago, cutting off telephone and internet services and detaining more than 500 political and separatist leaders.



China is gravely concerned about the situation in Kashmir, senior diplomat Wang Yi said on Friday, following a meeting with Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

 

This story originally appeared in India Today.