SC junks PIL to declare PoK, Gilgit as LS seats; fines petitioner Rs 50,000

“What is your interest in PoK?,” the court asked the petitioner

Supreme Court of India | Sanjay Ahlawat Supreme Court of India | Sanjay Ahlawat

The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking earmarking of Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) and Gilgit as two parliamentary seats. The top court also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on the petitioner.

"You come to the judiciary with such a prayer? There cannot be any judicial interference here. We cannot pass such orders," said a bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi.

“You are living in Delhi. What is your interest in PoK?," the bench, which also comprised justices Deepak Gupta and Aniruddha Bose, asked.

In his petition, Ram Kumar Yadav, the former official of Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), noted that as many as 24 assembly constituencies have been carved out by the government from PoK and Gilgit. The 111-member Jammu and Kashmir Assembly has always functioned with 87 legislators

On the similar line, the Centre and other authorities should be directed to declare PoK and Gilgit as two Lok Sabha seats, he said.

The court, however, termed the PIL as "not tenable" and dismissed it with the fine.