SC directs Centre to restore normalcy in Kashmir

The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Centre to ensure that normalcy is restored in Jammu and Kashmir and added that the restoration should be on a selective basis keeping national interest in mind.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said that the state of Jammu and Kashmir, keeping in mind the national interest and internal security, shall make all endeavours to ensure that normal life is restored in Kashmir.

The Chief Justice further added that the people should have access to healthcare facilities, schools, colleges, other educational institutions and public transport operates normally.

"All forms of communication, subject to overriding consideration of national security, shall be normalised, if required on a selective basis, particularly for healthcare facilities," the bench said. The court also asked the union government and the state of Jammu and Kashmir to file affidavits which will indicate their responses to all the interlocutory applications.

The court was hearing various petitions including one of the Executive Editor of the Kashmir Times, Anuradha Bhasin, who has sought relaxation of curbs on movement of media personnel and photojournalists to cover news in the Kashmir Valley.

Bhasin has sought directions to ensure that an enabling environment be created for journalists and all media personnel in Jammu and Kashmir to practise their profession.

She also sought that the debilitating restrictions imposed through the complete shutdown on internet and telecommunication services and severe curbs on the movement of photojournalists and reporters be immediately relaxed in order to ensure the freedom of the press.

( With inputs from IANS )