SC seeks response from Centre, J-K admn on Omar Abdullah's release

Five days after the release of National Conference president Farooq Abdullah from detention under the Public Safety Act, the Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Centre and Jammu and Kashmir administration to inform by next week if it was releasing his son and former chief minister Omar Abdullah.

A bench of Justices Arun Mishra and M R Shah told the counsel appearing for the Centre that Abdullah’s sister Sara Abdullah Pilots plea against his detention will be heard on merit if he is not released soon. “If you are releasing him, then release him soon or we will hear the matter on merits,” the bench said.

Abdullah has been detained since the abrogation of Article 370 in August last year.

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The observations came after counsel for the Centre and the J-K administration informed the court that Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who was appearing in the matter, is arguing in another court. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the petitioner, said the court should fix a short date for hearing the matter.

To this, the bench said only six benches are functioning due to the ongoing arrangement in the apex court and it does not know when the next turn will come. “Probably next week we are sitting and the matter will be taken up at that time,” the bench said.