RSS think tank asks Centre to get expert view on Art 370

JAMMU: The Jammu and Kashmir Study Centre, a think tank of the RSS, yesterday asked the Union Government to constitute an expert committee of eminent lawyers and jurists to look into the judgment delivered by the Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Article 370.

Tribune News Service

Jammu, October 13

The Jammu and Kashmir Study Centre, a think tank of the RSS, yesterday asked the Union Government to constitute an expert committee of eminent lawyers and jurists to look into the judgment delivered by the Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Article 370.

The committee, the Study Centre said, should look into the revocation of the said Article by following the due process of law.

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court, while delivering a judgment on October 9, had ruled that Article 370, granting special status to the state, had assumed place of permanence in the Constitution and the feature was beyond amendment, repeal or abrogation.

“The Jammu & Kashmir Study Centre respectfully disagrees with the interpretation made by the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir which seeks to travel beyond the true meaning that the Constituent Assembly of India as also the Parliament of India chose to give. The inference of the High Court that Article 370 reached finality on account of non-existence of “Constituent Assembly for Jammu & Kashmir” is erroneous and is contrary to the view time and again expressed during parliamentary debates,” president of the Jammu and Kashmir Study Centre Jawahar Lal Koul stated in a handout issued from Delhi.

“It is pertinent to note that even while making an amendment to Part XXI of the Constitution of India, the portion relating to powers of President to issue notification for revoking Article 370 was not deleted. Therefore Article 370 is indeed a temporary measure and there is necessity to revoke the said Article in view of the changed circumstances and to protect the interests of the Indian nation and society,” Koul stated.

He further said that the Jammu and Kashmir Study Centre was of the firm opinion that the Government of India ought to constitute an expert committee of eminent lawyers and jurists to look into the issue of Article 370 and take a view about revoking the said Article by following the due process of law.