Supreme Court rejects plea to declare PoK, Gilgit-Baltistan Lok Sabha seats, fines petitioner

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on the petitioner, R K Yadav, a former officer of Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), the country’s external intelligence agency.

The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a petition that requested the court to direct the Centre to create two Parliamentary seats for Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Gilgit Baltistan.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on the petitioner, R K Yadav, a former officer of Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), the country’s external intelligence agency.

In its order, the bench, which also comprised Justices Deepak Gupta and Aniruddha Bose, stated: “The petitioner seeks interference of this Court by means of a writ of mandamus directing the Government to create two Parliamentary seats for Pakistan Occupied Kashmir and Gilgit/Baltistan. Ex facie, the prayers are not tenable and not appropriate for judicial interpretation. The writ petition is, accordingly, dismissed with the costs of Rs.50,000, to be deposited with the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee, within a period of four weeks from today.”

The petitioner submitted that 24 Assembly seats have been earmarked in J&K Constitution for PoK and Gilgit Baltistan, although these are not counted for voting presently in the 111-member Assembly. The plea sought creation of two Parliamentary seats against these 24 constituencies.

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