Article 370 Case : Live Updates From Supreme Court [Day 15]

Jethmalani: The permanent residents of J&K are citizens of India. Though Mr Lone may sometimes behave like it's not so.

Jethmalani: Have a look at our preamble. Word 'sovereign' is key here. In contrast, see J&K Constitution Preamble. The preamble makes no mention of sovereignty. It defines the existing relationship of Union and state. It's an acknowledgement of union's sovereignty over the state

Jethmalani: As far as political sovereignty is concerned, it rests with the Union, qua the state. A simple look at the Preamble would show that. The preamble of the two- the Union and the state of J&K would reveal that

Jethmalani: My clients are restricting themselves to the challenge to 370(3) and the proviso as also to the amendment to 367.

Jethmalani: The Himalayan car rally used to take place there in former days - that has now been revived. My daughters schedule to go their soon in Leh and Ladakh in the Himalayan rally. They're taking a sports car themselves and travelling.

Jethmalani: I've been to Ladakh but many many years ago. In the days when houseboats used to flourish - in those days. And they've come back now.

CJI: Houseboats in Ladakh? I've not seen a houseboat in Ladakh.

Jethmalani: No no, houseboats in Srinagar.

Jethmalani: We support the amendments for the reason that the provisions of the constitution pertaining to scheduled tribes - 330 etc were never applied...

CJI: But your knowledge is theoretical unless you can state with certainty before us that you've driven around in Ladakh.

Sr Adv Mahesh Jethmalani: I appear for intervenors. My clients are members of the Gujjar Bakarwal community in J&K. They're members of a scheduled tribe. And they constitute 73.25% of the total ST population of J&K.

ASG Nataraj concludes his arguments.

ASG Nataraj: Such an extraordinary power should not be read with any limitations and it must be given the fullest meaning.