Srinagar, Aug 25: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday expressed hope that the Supreme Court will set a deadline for the restoration of statehood to the Union Territory when it hears the matter on October 10.
Earlier in the day, the apex court refused to advance the hearing on pleas seeking statehood restoration, observing that the case is already scheduled.
“We also want there should be no delay in this decision. Our government has been pursuing this issue for the last ten months. The very first cabinet resolution we passed was on statehood, and I personally handed it over to the Prime Minister in our first meeting,” Abdullah told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.
He noted that while the Centre has not taken a call so far, he remains hopeful that the Supreme Court will intervene.
“The elections in J&K were possible only because the SC set a deadline. Unfortunately, no such deadline has been set for statehood, which is why we are being dragged so much. I hope the SC fixes a timeline on October 10 and restores our statehood immediately,” the Chief Minister said.
On a protest led by PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti seeking transfer of J&K prisoners from outside jails, Abdullah remarked that while concerns were valid, such matters are decided in Delhi.
“The decisions on security are taken in the Home Ministry. We too raised this issue with the Union Home Minister. If they (PDP) want to protest for optics, they are free to do so,” he said.
Abdullah also confirmed that the signature campaign he announced on Independence Day to mobilise support for statehood was underway. “Once completed, we will submit it to the Centre and the Supreme Court,” he added
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