Will not alter special status of Northeastern states as did to J&K: Centre to SC

New Delhi: Highlighting the apparent double standard in the government's stance, today the Supreme Court heard the Centre's assertion that it has no intention to alter the special status provisions granted to the Northeastern states under Article 371.

Advocate Manish Tiwari, who represents one of the petitioners against the revocation of Article 370, argued the significance of constitutional guarantees in managing India's periphery after Independence.

In response to Tiwari’s argument, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta attempted to distinguish between the purported 'temporary provision' of Article 370 and the special provisions extended to the northeastern states. He emphasized that the government had no plans to modify these special provisions for the Northeastern states and dismissed any notions of apprehension.

Advocate Tiwari emphasized the relevance of Article 370, which applied to Jammu and Kashmir, along with Article 371 and the sixth schedule of the Constitution, which provide special provisions to the northeastern states.

He noted that these provisions were essential due to the potentially serious implications of any disturbance at India's periphery, citing the ongoing unrest in Manipur.

The Supreme Court acknowledged the government's submission, with Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud advising advocate Tiwari to focus solely on matters pertaining to Jammu and Kashmir during the hearing. The court underlined its commitment to addressing concerns surrounding Article 370 and refrained from delving into unrelated matters.