Plea filed in Supreme Court against restrictions in J&K

New Delhi: A plea has been filed in the Supreme Court against restrictions imposed in Jammu and Kashmir since August 4 in connection with the Centre's decision to end special status and bifurcate the state.

The plea, filed by social activist Tehseen Poonawalla, alleged that Jammu and Kashmir was witnessing undeclared curfew/restrictions, arbitrary arrests, shutdown of phone services and snapping of internet and blocking of cable TV having news channels.

This amounts to suspension of Article 19 and 21 of the Constitution, he contended.

The plea said: "The actions taken by the Union of India pertains to gross abuse of its powers under law, whereby the people of the J&K are suffering on account of unwarranted imposition of undeclared curfew and further emergency like restrictions are being imposed under the garb of Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973."

The petition contends that this information regarding the lockdown has been confirmed by the fact that the citizens are barred from access to basic healthcare, educational institutions, banks, public offices, food-vegetables and ration supply establishments and all other basic necessities.

The plea claimed that the inhabitants are facing difficulties to access the basic day to day necessities particularly patients, children, women and infants who have literally been arrested in their own houses for no reason.

Moreover, the political leaders of J&K including former Chief Ministers, Union Ministers, legislators and political activists are arbitrarily held under arrest .