New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday disposed of senior Parliamentarian Vaiko’s petition that wanted the Jammu and Kashmir government to produce before the top court former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, currently under house arrest.

A bench led by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi told Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Parliament) lawmaker Vaiko to approach the “appropriate authority” for relief.

“Since National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah is under detention under the Public Safety Act, his detention can be challenged before an appropriate authority,” the court told Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) chief Vaiko.

Vaiko had petitioned the court stating that Abdullah had been detained illegally since August 6 following the scrapping of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status.

“For the first time since security measures were imposed after abrogation of Article 370 which took away the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, a mainstream politician, a Member of Parliament as well as three-time chief minister was booked under the Public Safety Act,” Vaiko’s plea stated.

However, Home Minister Amit Shah had earlier said that Abdullah was neither arrested nor detained but was at home “out of his own free will”.

Besides Abdullah, former state chief ministers Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti and several other political leaders have been put under house arrest.

Earlier this month, taking a jibe at Congress on the duration of the state of emergency imposed in 1975 by then prime minister Indira Gandhi, Union Minister Jitendra Singh had said political leaders detained in Jammu and Kashmir would be released in “less than 18 months.”

“I am constantly asked by reporters on when the detained leaders will be released. My reply has always been less than 18 months,” Minister of State in Prime Minister’s Office Singh said.

Article 370 embodied special provisions for the state. It exempted Jammu and Kashmir from complete applicability of the Constitution of India.

Meanwhile, a bench headed by Justice NV Ramana will hear all the petitions relating to Article 370 on Tuesday.

On Monday, Chief Justice Gogoi’s bench also transferred all petitions relating to restrictions in Jammu and Kashmir to the bench led by Justice NV Ramana.

While postponing the hearing, the Chief Justice said the court did not have time as it had to hear the case relating to Ayodhya temple dispute on a daily basis.

“We do not have the time to hear so many matters. We have Constitution bench case on Ayodhya dispute to hear,” Justice Gogoi said.