Did legislature push on J&K Reorganisation Act hurry up SC verdict on Article 370?

New Delhi: A day after the Lok Sabha passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, the Supreme Court said it would pronounce its verdict on December 11 on a batch of petitions challenging the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution.

The apex court had on September 5 reserved its verdict in the matter after a marathon 16-day hearing.

However, the two amendment bills passed by the Lok Sabha related to J&K’s reorganisation would have faced hurdles in becoming acts pending SC’s verdict.

On Thursday, National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah said the government should not make amendments to the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act as the law is pending adjudication before the Supreme Court.

It appears that the legislative push hurried up the apex court to pronounce the order and make way for the changes proposed in the amendment and restoration of statehood in Jammu and Kashmir.

The process of elections in Jammu and Kashmir is expected to start as soon as the bill becomes law after its passage in Rajya Sabha following the SC verdict.

National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah on Thursday asked why Home Minister Amit Shah did not mention about holding elections in Jammu and Kashmir during his speech in Lok Sabha.

Shah had made an elaborate statement in the House on Wednesday on various aspects related to Jammu and Kashmir as two bills related to the Union territory came up for consideration and passage.