NEW DELHI: The
Supreme Court on Monday deferred hearing in the matter of
Article 35A for three months, news agency ANI reported.
The apex court had earlier deferred the hearing by two months, but later amended its order, according to ANI.
Article 35A of the Constitution empowers the state legislature of
Jammu and Kashmir to define its "permanent residents" and their special rights and privileges. It was added to the Constitution through a presidential order in 1954.
An NGO, We the Citizens, had challenged the provision in the apex court in 2014 arguing that it was not added to the Constitution via an amendment under Article 368. It was never presented before
Parliament
, and came into effect immediately, the group had argued.
In another case in the SC last month, two Kashmiri women argued that the state's laws, flowing from Article 35A, had disenfranchised their children.
On the other hand, supporters of the provision argue that it would lead to the erosion of the state's
autonomy
and trigger demographic change in the Muslim-majority valley.
(With inputs from ANI)Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss daily games like Crossword, Sudoku, and Mini Crossword.