New Delhi, Oct 15 – The Supreme Court has given a green light for Gitanjali J. Angmo to amend her writ petition that challenges her husband, Ladakh’s climate‑activist Sonam Wangchuk, detention under the National Security Act (NSA).
Senior lawyer Kapil Sibal, who represents Angmo, told the bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N.V. Anjaria that the petition needed changes. The court accepted the amendment request and set the next hearing for Oct 29.
The writ originally argued that Wangchuk’s family was not told the legal reasons for his arrest. Under Section 8 of the NSA, detainees must receive those grounds within five days. Wangchuk’s office claims that he, his wife, and the authorities were informed on time: the notice of his transfer to Jodhpur Central Jail in Rajasthan was sent the same day he was detained in Leh, and a letter detailing the grounds of detention arrived on Sept 29, signed by Wangchuk himself.
During the hearing, Sibal also raised a separate issue: Wangchuk had written notes about his detention and wanted the lawyer to share them with his wife. The Union’s Solicitor General, Tushar Mehta, said the authorities had no objection to the notes being exchanged. However, the law officer cautioned that this point should not become a new ground for a legal challenge, citing that even minor delays can be raised as a defect in procedure.
The Supreme Court declined to comment on the notes yet, focusing on the amendment request and postponing voting on the matter until the upcoming relisting on Oct 29.
Background: The Home Ministry has charged Wangchuk with inciting violence in Leh. He had been on hunger strike since Sept 10 but broke his fast and fled in an ambulance when clashes broke out. Shortly thereafter he was taken under the NSA and moved to Jodhpur jail.
Wangchuk, a respected name for his education and environmental work in Ladakh, has received national and international praise for his low‑cost school projects and advocacy for sustainable development. His supporters see his detention as political, while authorities argue it is a matter of national security.
Source: ianslive
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