NEW DELHI, Oct 12:
The Union Home Ministry today sought a report from the Jammu and Kashmir Government on the State High Court’s order that Article 370, which grants special status to the State, is beyond amendment, repeal or abrogation.
In a communication, the Home Ministry sought a copy of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court order from the State Government as early as possible, explaining the grounds in which the order was issued, official sources said.
The State law department is expected to forward the copy of the High Court ruling to the Central Government.
Jammu and Kashmir High Court has ruled that Article 370, has assumed place of permanence in the Constitution and the feature is beyond amendment, repeal or abrogation.
The Court also said that Article 35A gives “protection” to existing laws in force in the State. “Article 370 though titled as ‘Temporary Provision’ and included in Para XXI titled ‘Temporary, Transitional and Special Provisions’ has assumed place of permanence in the Constitution,” a Division Bench of Justices Hasnain Masoodi and Janak Raj Kotwal ruled in a 60-page judgement.
“It is beyond amendment, repeal or abrogation, in as much as Constituent Assembly of the State before its dissolution did not recommend its Amendment or repeal,” the Bench ruled.
The BJP has been demanding for long repeal of Article 370.
Meanwhile, with reports of five Pakistani terrorists entering India, the Centre has asked all States to be extra vigilant against any attempt by terrorists to disrupt peace and communal tension by subversive elements during the upcoming festival season.
Acting on intelligence inputs, the Home Ministry has issued a country-wide advisory asking all States to deploy additional forces in crowded places like markets, railway stations, bus terminus and religious sites to foil any attempt by terrorists to carry out any attack.
The advisory was issued after intelligence inputs suggested that five Pakistani terrorists have entered India in recent past, official sources said.
The Home Ministry particularly told police forces of major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad to be extra vigilant during the upcoming festival of Navratri, Durga Puja, Dussehra and Moharram, beginning tomorrow.
The States were also asked to be alert during the festival as provocative sloganeering, especially near mosques and dargahs, installations of idols and observance of the festival at disputed places, processions through non-traditional routes and forcible collection of donations, eve teasing often trigger communal tensions.
Campaigns against cow slaughter by Hindu activists have witnessed a rise in recent weeks with interpretation of cattle transportation, sometimes leading to road-blockades, arson and communal incidents. In the past, sacrifice of cattle at public and non-traditional places has also provided the flash point for communal incidents.
Besides, crowded pandals and immersion processions also remain soft targets for saboteurs.
Special watch on pandals, procession routes and venues of immersion would be desirable to prevent communal incidents and other law and order problems, the advisory said. (PTI)
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