THE Indian Supreme Court will hear on Tuesday a set of petitions challenging the removal of held Kashmir’s special status and the occupied state’s subsequent bifurcation in 2019, local media reported.

India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party revoked held Kashmir’s special status on Aug 5 that year by repealing Article 370 of the constitution. The move allowed people from India to acquire property in the occupied territory and settle there permanently.

The hearing on Tuesday would be preliminary proceedings in which a five-member bench will issue procedural directives for filing documents and set a date for the hearing to begin, NDTV reported.

According to The Hindustan Times, more than 20 petitions were filed questioning the constitutional validity of the Indian government’s decision to abrogate Article 370. They contested the constitutionality of abrogating the special status through the presidential proclamation during the president’s rule.

Published in Dawn, July 11th, 2023