New Delhi, August 8: The Supreme Court on Thursday turned down a petitioner's request seeking an "urgent hearing" of his plea to withdraw the blockage on internet and phone lines in Jammu & Kashmir. The petition, filed by activist Tehseen Poonawalla, also sought an immediate uplifting on curfew in the region.

Tele-connectivity in Jammu & Kashmir, along with internet -- both broadband and mobile-based -- were clamped down since Sunday midnight, hours before the Narendra Modi government issued an executive order diluting Article 370 in J&K. Pakistan Violates Ceasefire in Rajouri, Indian Army Hits Back

As the state remained under curfew, a legislation was passed in the Parliament changing the status of Jammu & Kashmir into a union territory. The region has been divided into two halves -- J&K and Ladakh. The latter will comprise of Leh and Kargil districts, and will be a Union Territory without a legislature.

Update by ANI:

Kashmiris working and studying in different parts of the nation  have expressed concern as they have not been able to contact their relatives over the last four days.

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury called the clampdown in Kashmir as a "fascisitic measure", saying that the state's special status has been revoked and it has been degraded to a union territory without consulting any of the stakeholders.

Amid reports of Kashmir being on the edge, a video was released by news agency ANI which showed National Security Advisor Ajit Doval having eating lunch with locals in Shopian and apprising them of the government's move to revoke Article 370.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 08, 2019 10:33 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).