Kashmir Shuts On Day Of Hearing On Article 35-A

Srinagar: Kashmir valley is observing shut down on second straight day on Friday in response to a call by resistance leaders against challenging the validity of Article 35A of the Constitution in the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a bunch of petitions against the Article 35 A which empowers the Jammu and Kashmir’s legislature to define permanent residents of the state and provide special rights and privileges to them.

Shops, business establishments and educational institutions were closed across the Valley while all kinds of transport remained off the roads due to the strike, sources and witnesses said.

Today’s strike is part of a two-day shutdown called by the Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL).

Various organisations included Bar Association, transporters and traders’ bodies have extended support to the shutdown call of the JRL, comprising Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik.

Authorities have imposed strict restrictions in old town areas of Srinagar as “a precautionary measure.”

Reports of complete shutdown have reached from all the ten district headquarters of the valley. Inter district transport services are shut and even main roads and the only highway gives a deserted look.

However “In Jammu, workers of Dogra Front and Shiv Sena led by their president Ashok Gupta on Thursday wore black clothes and took out a procession demanding that Article 35-A which they described as a “black law” must be revoked,” Hindustan Times reported.