With the Jammu and Kashmir government having detained National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah under the Public Safety Act, the Supreme Court on Monday disposed of Rajya Sabha lawmaker Vaiko’s petition to produce the former chief minister.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi told Vaiko to approach the appropriate court for relief since the government had issued orders to detain Farooq Abdullah under the state’s Public Safety Act.
Farooq Abdullah was detained under PSA two weeks ago hours before the Supreme Court was to take up his case.
The PSA allows detention of any individual for up to two years without a trial. Ironically, the law was first promulgated during Sheikh Abdullah’s tenure, father of Farooq Abdullah.
Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) Chief and leader Vaiko had filed a habeas corpus petition in the apex court to produce the former J-K CM.
Vaiko in his petition had claimed that Farooq Abdullah was supposed to attend the 111th birth anniversary celebrations of former Tamil Nadu CM and founder of DMK CN Annadurai in Chennai on September 15.
Vaiko told the apex court that the NC leader could not be contacted as many leaders in J-K were under house arrest after the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5.
Following this, the top court issued notices to the Centre and the Jammu and Kashmir government asking them to respond to Vaiko’s petition.
Around 400 politicians including former chief ministers Farooq Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah are under house arrest since the Centre abrogated Article 370 and bifurcated Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories on August 5.
Kashmir was under an unprecedented security clampdown as restrictions were imposed in the Valley following the Centre’s move.
On Monday, the Supreme Court also transferred all petitions relating to Article 370 to a Constitution bench, that will hear the pleas from Tuesday.