The Supreme Court on Wednesday accepted the Centre’s assurance that it does not intend to “touch” the special constitutional provisions protecting the interests of the people of the northeastern States.
The issue came up for debate before a Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, which is hearing the challenge to the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. Petitioners raised apprehensions that tinkering with the “periphery” of the country can have severe implications, such as the months of ethnic violence seen in Manipur.
Advocate Manish Tiwari, for the petitioner side, said that “even a slight apprehension in the periphery of India can have a severe implication… Your Lordships may know, as you are dealing with one such implication in Manipur”.
