Won't amend spl provisionsfor N-E: Centre to top court

The Union government on Wednesday recorded an undertaking in the Supreme Court that it has no intention to touch or amend the special provisions relating to the northeastern states of the country, and that the constitutionally granted status and safeguards for such states shall continue.

- Utkarsh Anand

The Centre's statement came before a Constitution bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud while opposing a plea that urged the top court to assess the impact of abrogation of Article 370 on the special provisions contained in Article 371.

Refusing to expand the proceedings on Article 370 to the special provisions concerning the northeastern states under Article 371, the bench, which also comprised justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Sanjiv Khanna, Bhushan R Gavai and Surya Kant, took note of the undertaking of solicitor general (SG) Tushar Mehta that the Centre has no intent to touch any of the special provisions for the states in northeast or any other state mentioned under Article 371.