SC to consider for lifting restrictions in J&K

The Supreme Court on Tuesday is set to take up a plea for directions to the Centre to withdraw restrictions on people's movement and unblock telephone and internet service in Jammu and Kashmir, imposed in the light of the decision to take away the special status granted to it.

Kashmir LIVE | SC to hear plea against 'regressive measures' in J&K

A bench of Justices Arun Mishra, M R Shah and Ajay Rastogi is to consider a writ petition filed by activist and Congress party sympathiser Tehseen Poonawalla, which also sought a direction for release of political leaders and appointment of a judicial commission to assess the ground situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

In his PIL, Poonawalla said it was unfortunate that the entire J & K was put under a virtual cordon. "Arrest of separatist leaders is totally justifiable but meting out the same treatment and arresting mainstream political leaders who have fought for the integration of J&K along with Union of India is highly questionable," he said.

He said the local inhabitants are facing difficulties in accessing the basic day-to-day necessities, particularly patients, children, women and infants who have literally been arrested in their own houses for no rhyme or reason.

He also contended the political leaders of J&K including former Chief Ministers, former Union Ministers, former Legislators and political activists were arbitrarily placed under arrest and were being denied their basic fundamental rights.

A similar petition has been filed by Anuradha Bhasin, the Executive Editor of Kashmir Times, for relaxing the restrictions. But this hasn't been listed so far.

Since August 4, 2019, mobile phone networks, internet services, and landline phone connectivity were all discontinued and shut down, leaving Kashmir and some districts in Jammu completely isolated and cut off from all possible modes of communication and information.

The communication blockade and strict restrictions on the movement of journalists resulted in a virtual blackout, and media reporting and publishing was grievously impacted, she contended.