Right of Passage over Indian Territory (Portugal v. India) - The oral proceedings will open on Monday, September 23rd, 1957

The follow.ing information from the hglstry of the International
Court of Justice has been comwiicated to the Press:

The International Court of Justice will met on filonday, September
23rd, 1957. In the af'temoon of th& day, i-L wiU hold a.public
hearing for the open* of the oral proceed5ngs in the case concerning

rigM of passage throqgh Indian territory.
@
This case was instituted on December22nd, 1955, by an Application
of the Goverment of the Pofiuguese Republlc against the Govemnt of
the Republic of India.

After the fil- of the Application, the Cou% fixed the-limita
for the p~sentation of the first tvm pleadings, nmly, the Mernorial
of the Partuguese Goverment and the C~vnter-~krnori?J of the Govermnt
of India. On Nomber lQth, 1956, that is, wi.thin the the-limft .
fhd for the filing of the Courrter-Fkmorial, the Agent for the Govern-
mnt of India, after mstating the 5nkntion of his Governent to file

a Pre1,jminary Objection to the emrcise of jurisdictiob ny the Court;in
this case, reqmsted that the the-lhit fixed for the presentatio of
this pleading shouldbv exbended for not less than slxmonths. The
Goverment of Portugal having statedthat it wis pxepared to trust the
Courtls discretion ka make the extension as short as required by the
jnteresk of justice, the Court docided to extend the tirne-ihit in
question to Aprii. lSth, 1957. On that cladtea docume~t settingout
cefiain Prelbhary Objections to the jurlsdiction of the Court vias
filed by the Gove~~~nt of India, The Cowt thenfixed a tbe-Lir11it
0 for the presentaïtion of the Observations and Submissiona of the Forbu-
guese Govermnt, and this time-lfiiit was subsequent* extended a.tthe
request of the latter Government. The Observzbions and Submissions
of the fortuguese Goverment in regard to the PinelLmjn_argrObjections
ralsed by the Govermnt of India were filed on August15tA, 1957,

that Is, within the time-lhit thus pxlescribed, and the case is the=-
fore now ready foi: heming.

The Hague, August 21st, 19Y.