SC Issued Notice To GOI On Plea For Producing Former J & K CM Farooq Abdullah: Congress Leader Ghulam Nabi Azad Allowed To Visit Home State J & K But No Political Activities

The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre to make all endeavors to restore normalcy in Kashmir as soon as possible. The apex court was hearing a bunch of petitions related to Jammu & Kashmir following withdrawal of its special status by Parliament on Angst 5, 2019, A SC Bench chaired by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and also comprising Justices S A Bobde and S A Nazeer said as the so-called shutdown is in the valley itself,    it can be dealt by the Jammu and Kashmir High Court. The GOI informed the   Bench that all Kashmir-based newspapers were functioning and the government had been offering all kinds of assistance. GOI also said that TV channels like Doordarshan and others private ones along with FM networks are working in the state. The bench asked Attorney General K K Venugopal, appearing for the Centre, to put details of these steps taken on an affidavit. he Supreme Court on Monday sought response from the Centre and the Jammu and Kashmir administration on a plea seeking to produce before court former chief minister Farooq Abdullah, who is allegedly under detention following the scrapping of the state’s special status. The Bench issued notice to the Centre and the state on Tamil Nadu leader   Vaiko’s plea for hearing   on September 30.The MDMK MP has demanded release of former J & K Chief Minister Sheikh Abdullah from detention.Vaiko, who said he is a close friend of Abdullah for the past four decades, has contended that constitutional rights conferred on the National Conference leader had been deprived of on account of “illegal detention without any authority of law”. The Bench allowed CPI(M) leader Mohd Yusuf Tarigami to go back to his home state Jammu and Kashmir. He does need any permission to go home if doctors at AIIMS allow him. The former MLA alleged that his vehicle has been taken away and he will be confined to his home. The ailing leader was on September 9 shifted to AIIMS following the apex court order.The  Bench also allowed Congress leader and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad to visit Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). The apex court has also asked Ghulam Nabi Azad to interact with the people, check on their welfare and file a ground report on the situation in Kashmir.Azad can visit four districts — Srinagar, Jammu, Baramulla, and Anantnag — to meet people. The Supreme Court has also directed the Congress leader to not indulge in any political rally as per  the SC order.During the hearing, Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said, “He [Ghulam Nabi Azad] will not make any speeches or hold any public rally as per his own submissions. “The Supreme Court has also directed J&K High Court Chief Justice to submit a report on whether the high court is accessible for litigants or not. He added that it is very serious if the people of J&K have not been able to approach the high court.”I will speak personally to the high court chief justice. This is a very serious issue. If the requirement arises, I may visit Jammu and Kashmir,” CJI Ranjan Gogoi said.