Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 5: J&K High Court Bar Association Jammu today said that observations made by the Supreme Court in response to submissions made by Kashmir Bar Association will go a long way in clearing the confusions of all those people who still think otherwise about the political status of Jammu and Kashmir vis-à-vis India.
In a statement, President of J&K High Court Bar Association Jammu, B S Slathia said, “once Maharaja Hari Singh, the only competent authority in law, signed the instrument of accession pursuant to the option available under the Indian Independence Act 1947, the argument that the accession of J&K to India is mysterious and controversial is not available to any body”.
Strongly refuting the claim of certain vested interests in Kashmir that accession of Jammu and Kashmir with India is mysterious and controversial, he said, “to question the accession of Jammu and Kashmir with India is to question the very creation of Pakistan as it came into being after the merger of Jammu & Kashmir with India under the Indian Independent Act 1947”.
The Bar Association President further said that Supreme Court in its historical judgment of December 16, 2016, had clearly stated that the Jammu & Kashmir Constitution is subordinate to the Indian Constitution and people of Jammu & Kashmir are the first and foremost citizen of India. Moreover, the Supreme Court had stated that J&K has no independent sovereignty outside the Indian Constitution.
The Bar Association Jammu out rightly rejected the demand of few vested interests in Kashmir ranging from the plebiscite to merger with Pakistan, to independence, to self Rule and Autonomy and said that the nationalist people will not accept anything that holds the State aloof from the national main stream.
The Association has warned that legal fraternity in the State would come on the roads in case any move is made to tinker with the settled issue of Jammu & Kashmir.
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