Jammu and Kashmir's Lone AAP MLA Detained Under Public Safety Act
Mehraj Din Malik, the Aam Aadmi Party's only MLA in Jammu and Kashmir, has been detained under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA), which allows for detention without trial for up to two years. He is the first sitting legislator in the Union Territory to be held under the controversial law. Officials cited 18 FIRs and activities "prejudicial to the maintenance of public order" as reasons for the detention. The move has sparked widespread outrage from opposition parties, who condemned it as an abuse of power.
Unpacked:
The Public Safety Act is a law in Jammu and Kashmir allowing authorities to detain individuals without trial for up to two years. It is controversial because critics argue it enables arbitrary detention and suppresses dissent, with limited judicial oversight or recourse for those detained.
Officials cited 18 FIRs and activities deemed prejudicial to public order. Recent reports mention Malik allegedly using offensive language against a Deputy Commissioner and being accused of disturbing public order in Doda district, leading to his arrest under the PSA.
Opposition parties and leaders, including Omar Abdullah, condemned the detention as an abuse of power and a threat to democracy. The BJP, meanwhile, welcomed the move, highlighting divisions in political responses to Malik’s arrest.
Malik’s detention marks the first time a sitting MLA has been held under the PSA in Jammu and Kashmir, raising concerns about the treatment of elected representatives, the robustness of regional democracy, and the Aam Aadmi Party’s future prospects in the region.