Article 35A: Defer hearing in SC until new J&K government is formed says Omar Abdullah

Srinagar, Sep 14: Political parties in Jammu and Kashmir have said that hearing on the petitions that challenged Article 35 A should be deferred until a government in the state is formed.

Today we have Centre's rule in J&K. Whether you can it Governor's rule or anything else, it is the central rule, former chief minister of the state, Omar Abdullah told a press conference.

He was addressing the media after attending an all-party meeting which was chaired by his father, Farooq Abdullah. The meeting was called to deliberate on the political and security situation in the state. The PDP however skipped the meeting.

"The political parties had demanded from the Centre to clear its position on Article 35-A.

Unfortunately, they have not done it yet. So it (the case pertaining to 35-A) should be deferred till there are elections in the state. When the new government is in place, they would defend 35-A in the Supreme Court in a better way".

Further they also sought that Additional Solicitor General, Tushar Mehta be removed as the state's council in the Supreme Court.

Abdullah said that the government has also accepted that he (Mehta) has exceeded the state's brief. Putting aside the brief, he put his own words there. That was absolutely wrong. He was not sent there to put forward his own stand or of any political party. He was not a representative of the Centre. He was a representative of the state and he had to talk in accordance with the brief from the state, Omar also added.