Parliament Watch: 2,156 habeas corpus petitions from Jammu & Kashmir since abrogation of Article 370

The Union Law Ministry on Friday answered questions in the Lok Sabha on habeas corpus pleas filed in Jammu & Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution, cases pending for over 50 years across all courts and the number of seats available in law schools across the country..To a question by Anantnag Lok Sabha Member of Parliament (MP) Hasnain Masoodi, the Law Ministry revealed that since the abrogation of Article 370, 2,165 habeas corpus petitions were filed in the Jammu & Kashmir High Court and the Supreme Court between August 2019 and June 2023..Masoodi also asked whether the disposal of habeas corpus petitions challenging detention orders under the Public Safety Act, 1978 in J&K was being delayed. The reply stated, "The Government/Detaining Authorities file requisite pleadings and ensure timely production of available records in the Hon’ble Courts besides ensuring the presence of Counsels on the date of hearings. All other requisite steps, wherever, required, are being taken well within time to ensure early disposal of such petitions by the Hon’ble Courts.".Machhlishahr Lok Sabha MP BP Saroj asked the Ministry details of the total seats available in colleges for law courses.According to the data from the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE), the University Grants Commission (UGC) has provided information that there are a total of 3,09,656 seats across various law schools in the country.Of these, 71,140 seats are designated for five-year integrated LL.B. courses, while 2,11,763 seats are allocated for the three-year LL.B. course. There are 26,753 seats designated for LL.M. courses..Additionally, the reply stated that as per the Bar Council of India (BCI), between January 2019 and 2022, 311 new law universities and colleges were established.68 of these colleges and universities were established in Uttar Pradesh. 31 each were established Rajasthan and Punjab & Haryana. In Assam, 24 were established. The state-wise split is as follows: .MPs Shardaben Patel and Rameshbhai Patel sought details of cases pending in courts for over 50 years..The Ministry stated that based on data obtained from the Supreme Court's Integrated Case Management Information System (ICMIS), there are no cases pending for over 50 years before the apex court.According to the information available on the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG) as of July 31, 2023, there are 1,063 cases that have been pending for more than 50 years in various High Courts. Among these, only one is a criminal case.In district and other lower courts, there are 1,134 such long-pending cases. Out of these, 347 are criminal cases while 787 are civil cases..[Read Questions and Answers]