New Delhi: The Supreme Court, on Monday, allowed senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad to visit his home state of Jammu and Kashmir, with the rider that he cannot hold any political rally in the state bordering Pakistan.
An apex court Bench, headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, said the former J&K chief minister can visit four districts, viz. Srinagar, Jammu, Baramulla and Anantnag, to meet people.
The Bench, also comprising Justices S A Bobde and S Abdul Nazeer, was informed by Azad’s counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi that Azad wants to meet the people and inquire about their welfare.
Singhvi said Azad, who is currently Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, had tried to visit the state thrice, but was turned back from the airport.
Azad, who had filed the petition in his ‘personal capacity’, had said on Sunday that it was “apolitical”.
He had also sought permission from the top court to visit his family members and relatives, and to check on social conditions after a clampdown was imposed by the authorities following abrogation of the state’s “special status” on August 5.
