SC asks Centre, J&K’s replies on plea against highway ban

The government had banned the movement of civilian traffic for two days in a week following the Pulwama attack on February 14.
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NEW DELHI:  The Supreme Court on Monday issued notices to the Centre and the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) government and directed them to file responses to a petition filed against the ban on the movement of civilian traffic from the current two days a week to one day per week on National Highway 44.
The petition was filed by the vice-president of the Jammu and Kashmir Awami National Conference Muzaffar Ahmad Shah through his counsel Suhail Malik and was heard by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi.

The government had banned the movement of civilian traffic for two days in a week following the Pulwama attack on February 14. A total of 44 CRPF personnel were killed in the attack. The Centre had tightened security and laid down several measures to clamp down on sepratist and militant activity in the state following the attack. It had also reportedly carried out air strikes in Pakistan to avenge the suicide bombing, carried out by the Jaish-e-Mohammad. 

During the brief hearing, CJI agreed to hear the petitioners and asked the Centre and the state why the ban has been imposed.The decision to impose the ban had evoked widespread criticism from politicians in the state. Former J&K chief minister Mehbooba Mufti had urged people to openly defy the ban.The plea said, “The impugned order means a virtual lockdown two days every week which will directly affect 10,000 vehicles plying every hour, which includes vehicles carrying patients, students, tourists and government officials.”

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