The Supreme Court has dismissed a batch of petitions seeking review of its December 11, 2023 verdict that unanimously upheld the Centre’s decision to abrogate provisions of Article 370 bestowing special status to the erstwhile State of Jammu Kashmir.
A five-judge bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud considered the pleas in chambers and dismissed applications for listing of the review petition in open Court.
“Having perused the review petitions, there is no error apparent on the face of the record. No case for review under Order XLVII Rule 1 of the Supreme Court Rules 2013. The review petitions are, therefore, dismissed,” the bench, also comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna, B R Gavai, Surya Kant and A S Bopanna (since retired) said in its May 1 order.
It also rejected permission to appear and argue in person, a request made by various petitioners.
The review petitions were filed by Awami National Conference, Jammu and Kashmir People’s Democratic Party, CPI(M) leader Mohammed Yousuf Tarigami, Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association and lawyer Muzaffar Iqbal Khan.
On December 11, the top court while upholding the Centre’s 2019 decision, had ordered Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir by September-end this year and restoration of statehood “at the earliest”.
Holding that Article 370, which was incorporated in the Indian Constitution in 1949 to grant special status to J&K, was a temporary provision, a five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Chandrachud said the President of India was empowered to revoke the measure in the absence of the Constituent Assembly of the erstwhile State whose term expired in 1957.
