Srinagar: Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday met Governor N N Vohra at the Raj Bhavan here and briefed him about her party’s views and the discussions with leaders of various political parties regarding “threat” to Article 35 A of the Constitution of India.
The debate surrounding the Constitution’s Article 35A is gradually heating up in the state following a petition in the Supreme Court that has sought abrogation of the article giving powers to the J&K legislature to define permanent residents of the state and their privileges.
On July 17 last month, the Supreme Court of India posted a Public Interest Litigation, filed in 2015 by a Delhi based NGO—We The Citizens, for hearing before a three judge bench after six weeks, “for final disposal.”
The court passed the order after Government of India sought an open debate to the PIL, challenging Indian Constitution’s Article 35A, which gives protection to special status of state.
An official spokesman here said that Governor and Mufti had “extensive” discussions on several other important issues, including the ongoing anti-militancy operations, maintenance of law and order, establishing capacity and outreach for effective implementation of GST, present pace of tourist arrivals in the Valley, implementation of important development schemes and projects and functioning of the Universities.
Governor also discussed with Mufti his deep concern about the rapidly declining visual aspect of the Dal Lake and the schedule of timely elections to Panchayats and Urban Local Bodies, the spokesman said.
Governor, who is the Chairman of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, also thanked Chief Minister for State Administration’s support in the successful conduct of this year’s Yatra, the spokesman added.
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