India SC censures Modi govt over occupied Kashmir detentions

Next hearing of case scheduled for October 24

The Supreme Court of India expressed its displeasure with the Narendra Modi-led government and authorities in Indian Occupied Kashmir on Wednesday over failure to file replies "‘justifying the lockdown and curtailment of civil liberties" in the disputed valley, reported India Today.

"You cannot take us for granted," said the Indian SC expressing its dismay at the delay in filing affidavits by the Centre and the occupied Jammu and Kashmir government.

Appearing for the petitioners, advocate Huzefa Ahmadi stressed that if the Indian government does not want to show the orders to the petitioners, they should at least show them to the court.



"They have to justify every detention made in Kashmir," said the petitioner's counsel.

Hearing one of the petitions filed by Asifa Mubeen, who challenged the detention of her husband (a Non-Indian Resident or NRI), the Indian apex court inquired about unfilled affidavit as the matter pertains to an individual’s liberty.

The authorities of IOK responded that the required affidavits would be filed within “five minutes". Justifying the delay, the Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta told the Indian SC that he is “surrounded by “interveners”.

India’s top court further directed the Indian government and authorities in occupied Kashmir to submit their replies along with the copies of all detention orders.



The Indian government was also instructed to speak to mobile service providers asking people to pay their bills as India had cut access to mobile networks in the occupied valley in early August.

On behalf of petitioners, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi said, "Now mobile service providers are asking users to pay bills and are also refusing to restore phones. We want the government to tell service providers to restore connections."

The matter will next be heard on October 24.