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The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has directed the High-Level Committee established to examine the operation of the Jammu Kashmir Service Selection Board (JKSSB) to submit its findings within ten days. After hearing an argument, a panel led by Justice Moksha Khajuria Kazmi ordered the JKSSB not to move further with the hiring process for the different positions it had advertised. The selection process has been put on hold while the admin considers its findings and suggestions regarding the High-Level Committee's study of the board's operation, the court said. The court stated, "The Review Committee shall submit its report within a period of ten days from the date of passing of this judgment. The Review Committee shall be established pursuant to Government Order No. 487-JK (GAD) of ...

A major scam allegedly involving crores of rupees has surfaced in the Health Department of Jammu Kashmir. Sources told The Kashmiriyat that authorities of the Government Medical Colleges of Doda, Rajouri, Srinagar and G B Pant Hospital in Srinagar have been accused of "swindling" public funds. They said that the officials posted at the aforementioned hospitals had made several purchases without without the availability of funds for the purpose. As per the sources, the hospital officials have been accused of making the purchases from VIGGO Medical Devices India without provision of funds-creation of liability. "The purchases have been brought into effect without the availability of funds," they said. In this regard, The Jammu Kashmir admin, under the order number 683- JK (HME) o...

"Ends cannot justify means," the Chief Justice of India told the Union government on Thursday, as the Centre commenced defending the abrogation of Article 370 on what was the 10th of the hearing of the Article 370 matter. During the hearings, the Solicitor General of India spoke about the history of the formation of states and argued more than 60 states of India had their own constitution while many others had not signed the treaty of merger with India. "The argument that Jammu Kashmir was the only state to do so is untrue," the solicitor general of India argued. Pertinently, the Solicitor General of India, Tushar Mehta spoke in detail about the history of Jammu Kashmir, which the five bench constitutional bench heard patiently, however, at the end the Judges remarked that they were ...

On Day ten of the hearings of the petitions challenging the abrogation of Article 370, the Supreme Court of India is set to hear the defendants (the government lawyers) on Thursday. Earlier at least eighteen petitioners argued to the five-bench constitutional bench of the apex court led by the Chief Justice of India that the abrogation of the Article was unconstitutional. Pertinently on 5 August 2019, the central Government abrogated the Articles 35A and 370, that provided special status of Jammu Kashmir following which the valley was put under months' long curfew. Communication was snapped and thousands including three former chief ministers were arrested. The regional parties including those in Jammu have been since then demanding a restoration of the special status of Jammu Kas...

A five-bench judge of the Supreme Court of India is set to hear the bunch of petitions challenging the abrogation of Article 370 for the eight day today. ALSO READ: ‘Who set up your client’: CJI dismisses PIL seeking validity of Article 370 abrogation Starting with senior Advocate Kapil Sibal and at least five others including Kashmiri lawyer Zafar Shah have presented their arguments so far on the behalf of several petitioners claiming that Union government's decision to do away with article 370 was "unconstitutional and illegal." Pertinently, a five judge constitutional bench of the supreme court led by DY Chandrachud, the Chief Justice of India, started hearing around 18 petitions on August 04. Advocate Dave on Thursday argued that Article 370 had ‘achieved its life’ and could th...

Degraded quality of education, spiraling unemployment, and increasing health-related concerns are worsening woes in Kashmir valley and have resulted in an increased number of suicides in the region. As of 2020, as per the National Human Rights Commission, suicide has claimed the maximum number of lives in Kashmir after militancy, reported Indian Asian News Service. (IANS) The rate of suicide is said to have increased by 26 times, from 0.5 per 100,000 before insurgency broke out, to 13 per 100,000. A study by Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF, aka Doctors Without Borders) reveals an alarming 400 per cent increase in the suicide rate. In 2021, 586 people attempted suicide in Kashmir. The figure stood at 20 in Jammu. As per the report, central Kashmir’s Budgam district and north Ka...

Months after the curtailment of ration quota, the Jammu Kashmir admin has called for a re-verification of ration card holders in Kashmir. In an official communication, of which a copy is available with The Kashmiriyat, the Directorate of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs has directed all Assistant Directors to re verify the ration card holders in PHH and AAY schemes within a stipulated period of time. "Time to time, this Directorate  issued clear cut instructions to you vide communications referred to above, directing therein to get the AAY/PHH rationees verified within the stipulated time period, ensuring that all ineligible beneficiaries / ration cards are weeded out and only genuine beneficiaries are receiving the ration under the scheme, being devised for poorest of the p...

The Supreme Court of India is hearing the petitions challenging the abrogation of Articles 35A and 370 for the third day on Tuesday. Challenging the abrogation at the hands of central Government on August 05, 2019, more than twenty petitions have been filed in the Apex court of India. A Five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court led by CJI DY Chandrachud is hearing  the petitions challenging the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution. After having delayed the hearing of petitions for several months, the court in July agreed to hear the case on day to day basis. Senior Advocate and Parliamentarian, Kapil Sibal representing the Jammu Kashmir National Conference, on first two days challenged the August 05 decision arguing that over the years, the Article 370, that g...

Over 13 Lakh people are using drugs in Jammu Kashmir and most of them are above 18 years of age. As per a report of Standing Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment an estimated 13.50 lakh people are drug users in Jammu Kashmir and most of them are in the age group of 18 to 75 years. In its report presented to both the Houses of the Parliament today, the Standing Committee comprising of 27 Members of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha has mentioned the estimated number of current drug use among children aged 10-17 years and adults 18-75 years based on the projected population in 2018, reported Daily Excelsior. About 10-17 years age group, the Committee has mentioned that estimated 1,68,700 children are drug users in Jammu Kashmir and they are taking Cannabis, Opioids, Sedatives, Cocain...

On day one of the hearings of the petitions challenging the abrogation of Article 370 and 35A, Advocate Kapil Sibal representing MP north Kashmir, Mohammed Akbar Lone argued that the abrogation was completely illegal. Government of India abrogated the Articles 380 and 35a on August 05, 2019 and the erstwhile state was demoted into a union territory. Kashmir was out under months' long lockdown and an internet ban was put in place. Several petitions were filed in the Supreme court, however, the court recently agreed to hear the petitions on day-to-day basis starting August 02. Kapil Sibal argued that only the constituent assembly of the state of Jammu Kashmir that ceased to exist in 1956 had the power to repeal the article that provided special status to Jammu Kashmir. The five b...