J&K Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary speaks during the autumn session of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly in Srinagar on October 27, 2025 | Photo credit: IMRAN NISSAR
The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Monday (October 27, 2025) witnessed an uproar over the issue of AAP MLA Mehraj Malik’s detention under the Public Safety Act (PSA).
The NC MLA from Banihal, Sajjad Shaheen, demanded an hour-long discussion on the Doda MLA’s detention last month under the strict law.
However, BJP MLA from Udhampur East, RS Pathania, said that summoning PSA is the district magistrate’s prerogative.
This led to the uproar of many members from the coffers and the lone Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) MLA from Langate, Sheikh Khursheed. The members were in their seats.
Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather got up from his chair and ordered the members to take their seats.
An independent MLA from Shopian, Shabir Kullay, protested and tried to enter the well of the House.
The Speaker, however, said that no one would enter the well and asked the members to maintain the decorum of the House.
“Let him (Pathania) speak even if you don’t like what he says,” the speaker added, allowing the BJP MLA to continue.
Mr. Pathania said that the matter pending the decision of the court could not be discussed in the House.
Reacting to this, NC MLA from Gurezi, Nazir Ahmad Khan Gurezi asked, “Will this state be ruled by DC?” A person can be enrolled under PSA on the basis of an administrative order issued by either the Divisional Commissioner (DC) or the District Magistrate (DM).
“If Malik has done something anti-national, we have never supported it and we will never support it. (But), can the DC send someone to jail? Today it is Malik; tomorrow it can be anyone. It can be you. This House is supreme. We can discuss it,” Mr Gurezi said.
He also asked that a commission be formed to investigate whether Mr. Malik justified the detention.
People’s Conference (PC) MLA from Handwara, Sajad Lone, termed the PSA as a “black law”.
“The PSA against Malik is unwarranted,” Mr Lone added.
Amid the uproar, Speaker Rather said that if something was being heard in court, “it cannot be allowed (to be heard) in the House.”
The Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act is a preventive detention law that allows the state government to detain a person for up to two years without trial.
Published – 27 Oct 2025 13:02 IST
