Constitution Bench To Hear Pleas Over Change Of J-K Status From Oct 1

A five-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court will hear from October 1 petitions challenging the change in constitutional status of Jammu and Kashmir following dilution of Article 370 and abrogation of Article 35A. Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi set up the Constitution Bench headed by Justice NV Ramana, which will also have Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Justice R Subhash Reddy, Justice BR Gavai and Justice Surya Kant.

Article 370 and Article 35A together created a legal regime that discriminated against non-permanent residents of the state. But now Article 35A is completely gone while Article 370 stands considerably diluted, leading to end of the special status of the state. A separate Bill enacted by Parliament bifurcated the state into two union territories — Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.