New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday refused to refer pleas challenging constitutional validity of the Centre’s decision to abrogate provisions of Article 370, to a larger seven-judge bench.
A five-judge constitution bench headed by Justice N V Ramana pronounced the order.
In August last year, the government abrogated Article 370, which accorded special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated the region into two Union territories- Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
Opposing the plea, the Centre had said that abrogation of provisions of Article 370, which granted special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, has become a “fait accompli” leaving the sole option to accept the change.
Senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan, appearing for Jammu and Kashmir People’s Conference, had said that he is supporting Centre on the question that no reference is needed to a larger bench.
A number of petitions have been filed in the apex court including those of private individuals, lawyers, activists and political parties and they have also challenged the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, which splits J&K into two union territories — Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.