ibn sultan
Srinagar, Oct 27: The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly witnessed heated exchanges on Monday as several legislators demanded a detailed discussion over the detention of MLA Mehraj Malik under the Public Safety Act (PSA).
Raising the issue, MLA Sajjad Shaheen said an hour-long debate should be held to discuss the “unjustified” detention of Malik. “He has been jailed for raising the voice of the people.
This House should condemn his detention and demand immediate revocation of the PSA,” Shaheen said.Responding to the demand, RS Pathania said the PSA order was invoked by the District Magistrate and was pending adjudication before a court.
“The matter is sub judice, and the District Magistrate has passed the order under law as he has the authority. It should not be discussed here,” he added.
Joining the debate, MLA Sheikh Khurshid said, “Detentions are becoming a norm. It is not only Mehraj Malik today; this is a wrong precedent being set.”
MLA Nazir Ahmad Khan questioned the powers vested in district magistrates to issue PSA orders.
“He has not done anything anti-national. We are against all anti-national activities, but that does not mean a DC can jail anyone arbitrarily. The court of law is supreme, but this Assembly too has the right to debate and interpret laws framed here. We demand a committee to review such cases — the DC is not the final authority,” Khan said.
Sajad Lone also termed the PSA against Malik “unjustified,” saying the law had been “misused by everyone at some point.(Agencies)
