The Supreme Court today has issued a notice to the Centre and the administration of Jammu and Kashmir, over the detention of former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah under the Public Safety Act (PSA).
The bench, headed by Justice N V Ramana, while issuing a notice on a petition filed by the sister of Abdullah, Sara Pilot, gave the government and J&K administration two weeks to submit their reply. The bench has further refused an urgent hearing which was connoted by the senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Pilot.
Earlier, on 10 February, Sara approached the honorable apex court with a habeas corpus petition challenging her brother’s detention order dated 5 February saying the order of detention is ‘manifestly illegal’ and there is no question of him being a ‘threat to the maintenance of public order.’ The petition sought for Abdullah’s physical presence while his detention order is being quashed by the apex court.
Omar has been in detention since 5 August 2019, when Centre abrogated Article 370 and converted Jammu and Kashmir into a union territory. Thereafter, before the expiry of six months of the detention period which was earlier ordered on 5 August 2019 under Section 107 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, fresh detention orders under the Public Safety Act were issued against Omar and another ex-Chief Minister of J&K, Mehbooba Mufti in February 2020.
“We were hopeful that, as this is a habeas corpus case, that the relief would be sooner. But we have full faith in the justice system. We’re here because we want that all Kashmiris should have the same rights as all citizens of India and we’re waiting for that day,” stated Sara Pilot.
