SC seeks response of J-K administration on plea challenging Mufti's detention

New Delhi [India], Feb 26 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued a notice to the Jammu and Kashmir administration seeking its response on a plea filed by Iltija, daughter of former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, challenging her mother's detention under the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act, 1978.
A bench of Justice Arun Mishra, Justice Vineet Saran and Justice MR Shah also asked Iltija to file an affidavit that no similar case is pending before any other court and posted the matter for hearing to March 18.
During the hearing, senior advocate Nitya Ramakrishna appearing for Iltija assured the court that no petition is pending before any court.
The court also asked the counsel about the situation in the Kashmir. "What's the position now? Schools have started? It came in the newspaper," the court said. At the outset, the bench even suggested the counsel to approach Jammu and Kashmir High Court.
"Why don't you move the High Court?" the top court said.
Senior counsel responded that High Court had taken a view that it can't go into the administrative issues, to which the bench replied that it's not an administrative issue.
"Cheap politics among masses," counsel argued while reading out reasons for Mufti's detention. The counsel also said that they (administration) have not referred to a single instance against former Chief Minister of inciting people.
The Jammu and Kashmir administration had, on February 5, invoked PSA against the former Chief Ministers Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah.
Both the former Chief Ministers were detained after the government abrogated Article 370 last year.
Earlier, the bench had also sought response from Jammu and Kashmir administration on a plea of former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's sister challenging his detention under the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act. (ANI)