Nothing new in Centre’s submissions in SC on Art 370: Pol parties in J&K

Jammu/Srinagar: The Centre’s stand in the Supreme Court on restoration of statehood and holding Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir is nothing new but just a diversionary tactic, political parties in the valley said on Thursday.

While the National Conference (NC) described the submissions made by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta in the top court as a tactic to divert attention from the main issue of the challenge to the legality of the Centre’s August 5, 2019 decisions, other political parties said the remarks were fallacious, a joke and similar to the Centre’s stand over the last few years.

The Centre told the Supreme Court on Thursday that the Assembly polls can be held in Jammu and Kashmir “anytime from now”, with most of the work on the voters’ list over, and the decision on specific dates depends on the Election Commission (EC).

A five-judge Constitution bench of the apex court is currently reviewing petitions that have challenged the abrogation of Article 370.

National Conference (NC) spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar said while his party will keep advocating for the restoration of democratic rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, which include the holding of Assembly polls, “we would continue to fight for our constitutional and legal rights as well”.

“We did not go to the Supreme Court asking for elections. Our basic petition is against the unilateral and unconstitutional decisions taken on August 5, 2019. What the SG has told the Supreme Court bench is a tactic to divert the attention from the main issue, which is the August 5 decisions, and we will confine ourselves to that,” Dar told reporters in Srinagar.

He, however, said the NC has always advocated for strengthening democratic institutions and that includes holding the Assembly polls.

Dar alleged that Mehta’s submissions in the top court about updating the voters’ list in Jammu and Kashmir were also aimed at creating more “confusion”.

“The voters’ list is primarily being updated for the municipal elections, it has got nothing to do with the Assembly polls,” he said, adding that the Assembly election has been due in the Union Territory for more than four-and-a-half years, so they have to be held.

NC’s provincial Secretary Sheikh Bashir Ahmed pointed out that the Centre’s stance remains unchanged and said there is nothing novel in its statement made before the apex court.