New Delhi: “Matter pertaining to liberty can be entertained”, said the Supreme Court on Monday agreeing to hear a plea by Sara Abdullah Pilot challenging detention of former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and her brother Omar Abdullah. Pilot had filed a habeas corpus in the top court.
Attorney General (AG) K.K. Venugopal, representing the Jammu and Kashmir administration, contended before a bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra that no reason has been produced by the petitioner for not moving the HC in the matter. “Even in detention matters, one is supposed to move the High Court at the first instance”, said the AG citing data on petitions of similar nature filed before the High Court and the progress made on them.
The Jammu and Kashmir administration in its response said Abdullah has been a vocal critic of Article 370 even before its abrogation before August 5. “It is submitted considering very peculiar geopolitical position of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh and its geographical proximity to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the concept of public order needs to be examined contextually’, said the affidavit filed in the top court. (IANS)
