NPP demands amendments in Article 370

New Delhi, Jun 4 (UNI) The National Panthers Party (NPP) today demanded amendments in Article 370, stating that certain provisions of the Act have become obsolete and irrelevent.

Addressing a press conference on the deliberations of the two-day state council session, which ended here yesterday, party chairman Bhim Singh said he would form a committee of constitutional and legal experts to examine provisions of the Article 370.

''After 60 years of Independence we are ruled by temporary provisions of the Article, which has ratified the accession of the state with the Union of India,'' he stated.

Prof Singh also advocated creation of provincial assemblies in the three regions of the state to respect sentiments of the people. All the three regions have distinct identities, cultures and languages and need to be protected by the government.

There should be one state assembly which should consist members of all the regions and districts of the state. Referring to the plight of people in the Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Gilgit, he said these parts had remained under illegal occupation of Pakistan.

Three million people living in the PoK do not have any political powers as legislative and executive powers are vested with the Pakistan government. He said Gilgit and Baltistan are geographically and culturally part of the Ladakh region. There is no civilian rule in this area.

Prof Singh also demanded that civilian and political rights of all the descendents of the Pakistani refugees of 1947 should be conferred on them by the government. About 65,000 refugees are living in the state with their political and voting rights.

He also stated that the Panthers Party will fight all the assembly seats in the coming Assembly elections in the state and there is no question of entering into alliance with any political party.

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