Flooded With Habeas Corpus Pleas, J&K High Court Seeks Appointment Of More Judges

The two wings of the Jammu & Kashmir High Court have been overburdened with litigation, amid a flood of over 250 writs of habeas corpus seeking quashing of preventive detention.

This comes within two months of the Centre’s move to revoke provisions of Article 370 and bifurcate the state into two Union Territories (UTs). Many people had been put under preventive detention and house arrest, including former chief ministers Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah, and Mehbooba Mufti.
Habeas corpus refers to a writ requiring a person, who is under arrest, to be presented a judge, especially to secure the person’s release unless grounds for his or her detention are proven.

According to a report by The Indian Express, the Chief Justice of the J&K High Court, Gita Mittal, had forwarded seven names to the Governor and the Supreme Court of India (SC)’s Collegium to fill these vacancies on two separate occasions this year. However, none of those appointments have been made so far.

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