"Today's decision will written in golden letters": JKPC on SC's verdict on Article 370 today

NEW DELHI: As the country waits for the Supreme Court's historic decision on Article 370, Sunil Dimple, leader of the Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference has said that the decision which will come today will be written in golden letters while Amit Raina, of the NGO Roots in Kashmir has expressed his confidence that the Court will not bring back this Article.

Sunil Dimple told ANI "See, there is a wave of happiness. The people of J-K are also very happy. They all are eagerly waiting for this decision today that they will get justice. The unconstitutional act that happened on August 5, 2019, will be reserved today. The people of Jammu and Kashmir call this day a black day and the decision that has come today will be written in golden letters. We never demanded JK reorganization. When did we demand that 370 and 35B should be removed?"

Amit Raina while speaking to ANI has said that this Article violates fundamental rights and the court will consider all of these things while giving the judgement. "I am sure that the Supreme Court will not bring back this article. This has been cancelled. This is an article that violates fundamental rights, violates the right to equality, and discriminates against minorities.

So the court today will consider the Constitution supreme. If you read Provision 370, it is written that there is a recommendation of the Constituent Assembly, but it is not written anywhere that it is mandatory to accept it. When Telangana became Andhra Pradesh Assembly, 2/3 opposed it, but still, it was formed. The biggest temple of this country is our Parliament, which has passed it (the revocation of Article 370) with 2/3 majority," he said.

Meanwhile, security has been heightened in Srinagar ahead of the Supreme Court's verdict on the batch of petitions challenging the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.

A five-judge constitution bench comprising Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Sanjiv Khanna, BR Gavai, and Surya Kant will pass the judgement today. On September 5, the apex court reserved the judgement after hearing the arguments for 16 days.

The central government had defended its decision to abrogate Article 370, saying there was no "constitutional fraud" in repealing the provision that accorded special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Attorney General R Venkataramani and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appeared for Centre. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing on behalf of the petitioners, had opened the arguments, saying Article 370 was no longer a "temporary provision" and had assumed permanence post the dissolution of the Constituent Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir.

He had contended that the Parliament could not have declared itself to be the legislature of J-K to facilitate the abrogation of Article 370, as Article 354 of the Constitution does not authorise such an exercise of power.

On August 5, 2019, the Central government announced the revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir granted under Article 370 and split the region into two union territories.