Assembly polls in J&K:  SC defers hearing on plea for directions to ECI

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday deferred hearing on a petition seeking directions to the Election Commission to conduct elections to the Assembly of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir without any further delay.

“We will adjourn this. The (Article) 370 matter is listed for directions on July 11,” said a bench, headed by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and comprising Justices P.S. Narasimha and Manoj Misra.

As counsel appearing for leaders of the Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) said: “This is a different case. We have been disenfranchised”, the bench said: “These matters are linked, they’re similar. Why don’t you give a copy to the Centre?”

Adjourning the matter, the bench refused to issue immediate notice on the plea.

A 5-judge constitution bench headed by CJI Chandrachud is scheduled to hear the batch of pleas challenging abrogation of the Article 370 on July 11.

The plea, filed by JKNPP leaders Manju Singh and Harsh Dev Singh, had alleged that the Election Commission is aiding the Centre’s ruling party by giving it the longest possible rope to restore its goodwill in Jammu and Kashmir after abrogation of Article 370.

The state Assembly was dissolved in November 2018 after the then Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti tendered her resignation.

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