SC issues notice to J&K over detention of people, seeks reply within 2 weeks

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday issued a notice to Jammu and Kashmir administration on plea challenging the detention of five persons in the state.

The plea challenges provisions of law, empowering authorities to detain a person in Jammu and Kashmir.

The bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and also comprising justices S A Bobde and S A Nazeer asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who was appearing for the Jammu and Kashmir administration, to file his response within two weeks.

The bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said that it agreed to entertain plea raising issue of alleged detention of children in Kashmir and sought a report from Juvenile Justice Committee of Jammu and Kashmir High Court within a week.

''It is a substantial issue related to minors,'' the Supreme Court said.

During the hearig on Friday, the apex court reiterated concern over reports from the Jammu and Kashmir High Court chief justice that alleged that people were finding it difficult to approach the high court.

Read: Very serious if people can't approach J&K HC, will visit Srinagar: Chief Justice

Senior advocate Huzefa Ahmadi, representing child right activists Inakshi Ganguly and Shanta Sinha who have alleged detention of children in Kashmir, had on September 16 told the apex court that people in the Valley are not able to approach the high court there.

The bench had then sought a report from the chief justice of Jammu and Kashmir. "We have received the report from the chief justice (of Jammu and Kashmir High Court) which does not support your statement," the bench also comprising justices S a Bobde and S A Nazeer told the counsel appearing for the petitioners.

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