SC allows PDP chief's daughter to meet her

The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Jammu and Kashmir authorities to allow Iltija, daughter of former CM Mehbooba Mufti to meet her. It also ordered the shifting of CPM MLA of dissolved Assembly, Mohammed Yusuf Tarigami to AIIMS here.

The top court also hinted that it may pass orders on September 16 on the restrictions imposed in Jammu and Kashmir, since the special status to the state was withdrawn on August 5.

"We are fixing the matter for September 16. Please give us some time. We are trying to do the best," a bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices S A Bobde and S Abdul Nazeer said. The court's remarks came after a fervent plea was made a by counsel from Jammu and Kashmir that the people in the state were suffocated, and there was no access to hospital and transportation.

Attorney General K K Venugopal, for his part, strongly rebutted the contention, saying that as many as seven lakh people have got treatment in various hospitals in the Jammu and Kashmir in one month's time.

Notably, the court had already admitted a batch of petitions challenging the validity of the Presidential Order August 5 related to abrogation of Article 370 and subsequent passage of law dividing the state into two Union Territories. It had fixed the matter for consideration in October, before a five-judge Constitution bench.

Hearing a plea by Kashmir Times executive editor Anuradha Bhasin against the clampdown on communications, the court on Thursday issued a notice to the Union government.

It also allowed Iltija, daughter of PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti to meet her mother in Srinagar. Iltija had moved to Chennai after restrictions imposed on free movement, her counsel said.

“She can return to Srinagar on a date of her choice. She would be free to meet her mother in private,” the bench said, adding she can also move around subject to permission by the authorities.

The bench rejected a contention by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta against the use of 'August Forum' of the court for such a purpose. He directed her to approach the district authorities, who were granted permission.