Supreme Court dismisses PIL challenging JK Governor’s decision to dissolve assembly

The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a petition challenging the Jammu and Kashmir governor’s decision to dissolve the state Assembly.

The top court said there was no merit in the petition filed by former BJP legislator Gagan Bhagat.

Jammu and Kashmir governor Satyapal Malik dissolved the state assembly on November 22 after Mehbooba Mufti’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its arch-rival National Conference (NC) teamed up with the Congress for a shot at government formation with the support of 56 legislators in the 87-member assembly. The People’s Conference led by Sajjad Lone, later staked a rival claim, saying it had the support of 25 legislators belonging to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and “more than 18” others.

Following assembly elections in 2014, the PDP and the BJP ruled J&K in a coalition that lasted almost 40 months. In June, the BJP parted ways with the PDP, saying it had become impossible to continue in the government given the growing radicalism and terrorism in J&K. The state has been under Centre’s rule since.