An alert has been sounded in Jammu and Kashmir on the eve of the Supreme Court's verdict on Article 370 on Monday.
While the National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah aired apprehension that he would be arrested before the pronouncement of the verdict, Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) Mehbooba Mufti charged the authorities with preparing lists of her party workers in different police stations.
The Supreme Court's verdict on the petitions filed against the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35-A and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act will come on Monday.
On Sunday senior police and administration officials held a meeting to review the law and order situation in Kashmir Valley. In the meeting, Deputy Commissioners and Senior Superintendents of Police of all ten districts have been asked to take punitive action against anyone found indulging in any mischief or misuse of social media.
Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Vijay Kumar chaired a joint meeting of all the District Magistrates and Senior Superintendents of Police of Kashmir division for the first time in Kashmir.
During the meeting, all the officials briefed Kumar about the current law and order situation and any such incidents that may come up in the wake of the decision. In the meeting, all district heads were directed to keep an eye on the ground and take preventive and punitive action against those disturbing peace.
Security intensified in Kashmir Valley
Reports said that adequate security arrangements have been made to ensure a peaceful atmosphere in Kashmir as the Supreme Court is scheduled to pronounce its verdict on Monday on a bunch of petitions challenging the abrogation of the provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution by the Centre in August 2019.
"We are duty-bound to ensure that peace prevails in the valley under all circumstances,", a news agency quoting Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir Zone V K Birdi said.
"We are taking all precautions and will ensure that peace is not disturbed in Kashmir," Birdi, who held security review meetings in most of the 10 valley districts over the last two weeks", he said.
BJP urges all political parties to accept the verdict
President of the J&K unit of BJP Ravinder Raina said that all political parties must accept the decision of the Supreme Court on Article 370.
"We all are ready to support and accept the Court's decision," Raina said and added that during the marathon hearings, both parties and the opposition presented their views in court, and the Supreme Court telecast the Article 370 proceedings online, allowing the entire population of Jammu and Kashmir, as well as the world, to witness the process.
He hoped that everyone in Jammu and Kashmir would respect the Apex court's decision.
He urged other political parties, including the National Conference, Peoples' Democratic Party, Congress, Peoples Conference, and Apni Party to also accept the final decision by the Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, Omar Abdullah aired apprehensions that leaders and prominent workers of the mainstream political parties in Kashmir may be put under house arrest ahead of the Supreme Court's verdict on Article 370 petition. He, however, said that he can only hope and pray the decision is in favour of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
