New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre and Jammu and Kashmir administration to make all endeavours to restore normalcy in Kashmir Valley as soon as possible but made it clear that the restoration would be on a “selective basis” keeping in mind national interest.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and comprising justices S A Bobde and S A Nazeer, was told by Attorney General K K Venugopal about steps taken by authorities to restore normalcy in the state.
The apex court asked Venugopal to file an affidavit indicating steps taken so far in the matter. When the top court was told about the alleged “shutdown” of mobile and Internet services in Kashmir Valley, the bench said these issues could be dealt with by the Jammu and Kashmir High Court.
“Is it the same situation today? We are saying that if it is some local issue then it would be better if the high court dealt with it. It is simpler for the high court to know what is happening in the state in terms of the shutdown of mobile and Internet services,” the bench said.
Advocate Vrinda Grover, appearing for petitioner and Executive Editor of Kashmir Times Anuradha Bhasin, told the bench that mobile, Internet services and public transport are not working in the Kashmir Valley and it would be difficult for them to approach the high court.
While Bhasin has sought removal of restrictions imposed on working of journalists in the state after scrapping of provisions of Article 370, some other petitioners have raised the issue of shutdown of public transport and lack of medical facilities in Kashmir.
Venugopal, however, said that issues raised by the petitioner “do not appear to be genuine” as Kashmir-based newspapers are being published and the government has been offering all kinds of assistance to them.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for J&K, told the bench that “Not a single bullet has been fired after August 5 in the state.”
Mehta said that in the Kashmir division, restrictions have been lifted in 93 out of a total of 105 police stations which comes to 88.06 per cent. He said restrictions have been lifted 100 per cent in Jammu and Ladakh divisions. (PTI)
