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Shutdown over Article 35 A cripples life across valley on second day

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Srinagar,  : The Kashmir Valley will observe complete shutdown for the second consecutive day  on Friday in response to a call by Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL), a conglomerate of separatists headed by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and Yasin Malik, against the legal challenge in the Supreme Court on the validity of Article 35A of the Constitution.

Normal life was badly hit in Kashmir Valley on Thursday   in response to a shutdown callJoint Resistance Leadership (JRL).This is for the third time that a complete shutdown was observed against the attempts at scrapping or diluting the special law.

There have been protests and counter protests as various organizations including West Pakistan refugees, Valmiki and Gukha communities are demanding immediate abrogation of Article 35-A .

Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL), a conglomerate of separatists headed by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and Yasin Malik called a complete shutdown on Friday to highlight support for the article.

All shops, public transport, other businesses and educational institutions remained closed in Srinagar and other places in the valley.

Attendance in government offices, banks and post offices was badly affected because of non-availability of public transport in the city and other districts of the valley.

Post-graduate entrance exams have already been rescheduled because of the shutdown. Rail services between Baramulla and Bannihal towns were also suspended for the second consecutive day.

Authorities imposed restrictions in several areas — Khanyar, Rainawari, Nowhatta, M.R.Gunj, Safa Kadal, Kralkhud and Maisuma to maintain law and order, police said.

Heavy deployments of police and paramilitary forces have been made in areas placed under restrictions and other law and order sensitive places in the Valley.

Article 35A of the Constitution empowers the Jammu and Kashmir legislature to define the states ‘permanent residents’ and their special rights.

It has been challenged in the Supreme Court through a bunch of petitions being heard by a three-judge bench on Friday.

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