The unanimous judgment on Kashmir was the opinion of five judges and people can differ, Justice (Retd) SK Kaul, who was part of the constitution bench that delivered the verdict, told NDTV today.   

“I believe that if five judges have taken a unanimous decision then at least it is the opinion of these judges that what was done was correct and in accordance with the law,” he said.  

The verdict of the five-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud earlier this month, had disappointed many in Kashmir Valley.  

While accepting the court’s judgment that the Article 370 of the Constitution was temporary in nature and its removal was correct in terms of procedure, many political leaders had said the “struggle” will continue.

Speaking about the issue, which he insisted deserved to be put to rest, Justice Kaul, who retired on December 25, said the issues which came before the bench could be broadly divided into two questions — whether the Article 370 was a temporary provision and whether the Centre had stuck to the correct legal procedure.

Whether the “shell” of the “slightly different procedure” used to assimilate Jammu and Kashmir to India should stay or go was a political decision, Justice Kaul said.  

Now the decision for full assimilation has been taken, it was the “correct legal position,” he said. On the question of process, the court took its call looking at the ground reality — that there was no state assembly at the time and the power rested with the Centre. “The people are entitled to a different opinion of it, so what,” he said.    

On whether it was a temporary position, all five judges had agreed it was, going by the incorporation and the chapter where it was made.  

Asked how he felt about the situation since he felt the pain of Kashmiri Pandits — the judge is from the erstwhile state — he said it was essential to acknowledge that “there is something wrong”.  Citing the South African model, based not on retribution or revenge but an acknowledgement of wrongdoing and a system of apology, he said it was what people need to move on.  

On December 11, the Supreme Court, in a unanimous judgment, upheld the Centre’s decision to scrap the provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution, which had granted special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.  

While the court said the Centre’s decision to bifurcate Jammu and Kashmir was valid, it also directed that the restoration of statehood be done at the earliest.

Congress Working Committee member and Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor spoke on Thursday about providing opportunities for younger people to contest polls, indicating that his upcoming fight from Thiruvananthapuram in the general elections may be his last in the constituency.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a Congress programme in Thiruvananthapuram, Mr Tharoor, however, said there was no finality about it since it is politics. “I do believe that at some point, the time comes to make room for younger people. And that’s my thinking,” he said.

In the same breath, he said, “In politics, there is another slogan which is ‘never say never'”.

He was responding to a query on his remarks in a recent TV show in which he repeatedly said the 2024 Lok Sabha elections may mark his final contest from the Thiruvananthapuram constituency.

“I didn’t say never, I said I think it will be my last election,” the 67-year-old MP clarified.

The Congress leader said if he is going to contest the polls from Thiruvananthapuram, he would fight it as though it were his last election, in full spirits, doing his very best for the people.

Mr Tharoor, who entered politics over a decade ago, achieved a resounding victory in the 2009 general election, securing the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency in Kerala and marking his debut in Parliament.

In his first electoral battle, Mr Tharoor triumphed over his closest CPI rival P Ramachandran Nair by a substantial margin of over 95,000 votes.

Following this success, he maintained his hold on the seat with decisive victories in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Before beginning his political career, Mr Tharoor worked with the United Nations, and in 2006 represented India as the official candidate for the position of UN Secretary-General, finishing in second place out of seven candidates in the race.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

The US state of Maine on Thursday blocked former president Donald Trump from its Republican presidential primary after the top election official ruled him ineligible due to involvement in the January 2021 assault on the US Capitol.

Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows said in her ruling that the events of January 6, 2021 “occurred at the behest of, and with the knowledge and support of, the outgoing President.”

“The US Constitution does not tolerate an assault on the foundations of our government and (Maine law) requires me to act in response,” the ruling read.

Maine joins Colorado which earlier this month also disqualified Trump from its Republican primary, moves that will certainly be challenged in the US Supreme Court.

The rulings in both states invoked the US Constitution’s 14th Amendment, which bars from office anyone formerly sworn to protect the country who later engages in insurrection.

Trump’s campaign quickly slammed Bellows’ ruling as “attempted theft of an election and the disenfranchisement of the American voter.”

“Make no mistake, these partisan election interference efforts are a hostile assault on American democracy,” campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement, accusing President Joe Biden and Democrats of “relying on the force of government institutions to protect their grip on power.”

Cheung said Trump would appeal the Maine secretary of state’s decision.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)