The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought responses from the Centre and the Union Territory of Ladakh within ten days on an amended plea filed by climate activist Sonam Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, challenging his detention under the National Security Act (NSA).
A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and NV Anjaria directed Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre and the Ladakh administration, to file their responses and listed the matter for hearing on November 24. The bench also permitted senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Angmo, to file a rejoinder if necessary.
On October 15, the top court had deferred the hearing after Angmo sought to file an amended petition with additional grounds contesting her husband’s detention. The court had noted an affidavit from the Jodhpur jail authorities confirming that Wangchuk’s elder brother and lawyer had met him.
Earlier, Sibal had urged the court to allow Wangchuk to exchange notes with his wife, a request to which the Solicitor General raised no objection.
The apex court had earlier issued notices to the Centre and the UT administration on October 6 but declined to order the disclosure of the detailed grounds for detention.
Wangchuk, a noted environmentalist and education reformer from Ladakh, was detained under the NSA on September 26, two days after violent protests demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh left four people dead and around 90 injured. Authorities have accused him of instigating the unrest.
The NSA allows preventive detention for up to 12 months to avert acts deemed prejudicial to India’s defence or public order, though the detention can be revoked earlier.
