SC agrees to re-constitute 5-judge bench to hear pleas challenging repeal of Article 370 after summer vacation

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to consider listing after summer vacation the pleas challenging the Centre's decision to abrogate provisions of Article 370 which had given special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

A bench comprising Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justice Hima Kohli took note of the submissions of senior advocate Shekhar Naphade, appearing for one of the petitioners, that the plea needed an urgent hearing in view of the delimitation exercise being carried out in the state.

“This is the Article 370 matter. The delimitation is also going on,” the senior lawyer said. "Let me see," the CJI said, adding, “This is a five-judge matter. I will have to reconstitute the bench.”

The court agreed to re-constitute a five-judge bench to hear pleas after summer vacation.

Several petitions challenging the Centre's decision to abrogate provisions of Article 370 and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, which splits J&K into two Union Territories -- Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh -- were referred to a Constitution Bench headed by Justice N V Ramana in 2019 by the then CJI Ranjan Gogoi.