Former home secretary Gopal Pillai says that by failing to take a clear position on whether the demotion of Jammu and Kashmir from statehood to Union Territory was unconstitutional or not, the Supreme Court has failed in its duty to uphold the constitution. Pillai said, “In this particular case, the Supreme Court failed in its duties, failed to uphold the constitution which it is expected to protect.” He also called this “an abdication by the Supreme Court of its duties.”

In a 29-minute interview to Karan Thapar for The Wire, Pillai, who is also Co-chair of the Forum for Human Rights in Jammu and Kashmir, has called for “the immediate and full restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir in the monsoon session of Parliament.”

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