New Delhi
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), 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 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. The matter will next be heard on October 24.
Meanwhile, India’s Supreme Court on Wednesday reserved the verdict in the Ayodhya land dispute case, saying that it will be pronounced before November 17 when Chief Justice Rajan Gogoi leaves office.
Before today’s hearing was wrapped up, the court asked the parties involved to submit within three days, written notes on ‘moulding of relief’ — the narrowing down of areas on which the court is required to pass judgment, reported Hindustan Times.
