‘Cannot ignore what happened in Pahalgam’: SC seeks Centre’s reply on J&K statehood plea in 8 weeks

The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Centre to respond within eight weeks to petitions seeking the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. A bench comprising Chief Justice BR Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran heard the matter and asked the government to provide a clear timeline for implementing the statehood restoration.

During the hearing, Chief Justice Gavai emphasized that ground realities must be taken into account while considering statehood. He remarked, “You cannot ignore what happened in Pahalgam.” Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, said the government had assured restoration of statehood after elections and sought time to take instructions from authorities, requesting an eight-week period.

The petitions were filed by Zahoor Ahmad Bhat, an academician, and Khurshaid Ahmad Malik, a socio-political activist. The plea stated that delays in restoring statehood could reduce the effectiveness of democratically elected government in Jammu and Kashmir and result in a violation of the federal structure enshrined in the Constitution. It highlighted that assembly elections and Lok Sabha polls had been conducted peacefully without incidents of violence or security concerns.

The petitioners also noted that the Centre had not provided a timeline despite the Supreme Court’s December 11, 2023, verdict. In that verdict, the court upheld the revocation of Article 370, declaring it a temporary provision and confirming that the President was empowered to revoke it in the absence of the Constituent Assembly of the erstwhile state. The plea added that Jammu and Kashmir has been operating as a Union Territory for almost five years, affecting development and the democratic rights of citizens.

The Supreme Court is scheduled to further hear the matter on August 25, 2025, to review the Centre’s response and the proposed timeline for restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. The bench’s directions aim to ensure clarity on the process and timeline for reinstating full statehood to the Union Territory.