High court pulls up JK govt on Amarnath arrangements

The Delhi high court on Tuesday pulled up the Jammu and Kashmir government for not complying with its direction to submit the plan for ascertaining the security aspects of the annual Amarnath Yatra in the Kashmir valley.

The division bench, comprising Justices Mahinder Narain and S K Mahajan, had in July ordered the state government to submit a plan for the notified area command near the shrine site.

Now, after close questioning, the bench has given another opportunity to the authorities.

The court is hearing three separate public interest litigations, which were filed in June, about a month before the last Amarnath pilgrimage started (it ended on August 20).

The PILs seek the lifting of age limit on yatris, opening up more registration centres, cancelling the registration fee and constructing a proper pathway on the yatra route to allow vehicular traffic.

The bench has adjourned the case to September 18.

UNI