SC Bench Says Lockdown In Kashmir Was Needed To Prevent Riots

The Supreme Court in its response to arguments presented by Congress leader Kapil Sibal against the preventive lockdown in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday has observed that some people are bound to suffer when restrictions are placed to maintain peace.

Kapil Sibal is representing his party colleague Ghulam Nabi Azad, who in September had moved a petition in the apex court against the communication and movement lockdown imposed in Kashmir over the removal of Article 370. Azad had questioned the restrictions ordered by the government in the valley and insisted that these were subject to judicial review.

“Should they have waited for the riots to take place? In an issue like this, why cannot apprehension be there that the entire area or the place may be disturbed?” a three-judge bench headed by Justice N V Ramana asked Kapil Sibal who argued that it was a “colorable exercise of power” on the part of the authorities to impose restrictions in the valley.

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