DOGRA HERALD BUREAU
JAMMU, Dec 11
In the wake of Honble Supreme Court directing the GoI and Election Commission of India to hold Assembly elections in J&K before September 2024 in a historic verdict today, Mr. Harsh Dev Singh President JKNPP and former Minister said that the petition filed by him in the Apex Court had finally drawn a verdict in favour of the restoration of democracy in the erst while State. In a statement issued by the Panthers Party, he said that once again the Supreme Court of India by virtue of its august directions had provided political succor to the people of J&K where the democracy was crushed, trampled and nearly brought to the end.
He said in the month of May this year, a writ petition had been filed by him seeking early Assembly Elections in J&K in the Supreme Court with the prayer to the Apex Court to issue directions to the Union of India and the Election Commission of India (ECI) to take immediate steps for restoration of democratic process and revival of peoples govt in the erstwhile State in consonance with the spirit of constitution and successive rulings of the top Court of the country. He divulged that till date the democracy continued to be abused and outraged in J&K by the present rulers behaving as unquestionable despots and running the affairs of the govt for more than five years in J&K through their proxies. And when the people pressed for restoration of democratic govt, the helmsmen either issue a statement assuring early elections or silence the protagonists of democracy through the coercive apparatus of the state, added Harsh.
Singh rued that Assembly elections were being delayed and denied and continued to be postponed for one reason or the other. Sometimes they were denied on the grounds of the security scenario, sometimes on the pretext of unfinished Delimitation exercise, sometimes on the grounds of Amar Nath Ji pilgrimage, while at other times by taking the plea of intense cold or hot weather conditions or heavy snowfall. “And while the constitution continued to be subverted by taking freakish excuses to deny Democracy to the people of J&K, the historic ruling of Supreme Court today calling for time bound restoration of democracy in the erstwhile State had come as a tight and crisp slap on the faces of those who had held the Indian Constitution hostage and violated it with impunity for their vested interests”, jubilant Harsh said.
Referring to the SC hearing on the matter in July this year, Mr. Singh disclosed when he argued before the three judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India CY Chandrachud that the people of J&K had been dis-enfranchised and the democracy murdered, the honble Court directed the supply of copies of his writ petition to Union of India and Election Commission seeking restoration of democratic govt in J&K without any further delay.
He said the CJI had also assured him that the matter would be addressed in the petition of the Art 370. “ Today’s verdict had not only strengthened the faith of the people in judiciary but had upheld the sanctity and grace of the democracy which eluded the electorate of J&K since more than five years. This is people’s victory. Only Panthers Party has the audacity to confront all the challenges posed by tyrant regime.
We stand with the people and hold our allegiance to take them out from the ongoing socio-political quagmire at all costs”, Harsh roared.
