Srinagar, Sep 8 : The arrest of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Mehraj Malik from Doda under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) on Monday has drawn widespread criticism from political leaders across Jammu and Kashmir. The move marks the first time a sitting legislator in the region has been detained under the PSA.
The government justified the detention in a formal communication to the Legislative Assembly Speaker, citing concerns over public order. District Magistrate Doda, Harvinder Singh, stated that Malik’s actions were considered “prejudicial to the maintenance of public order” and that his continued activities posed a “grave threat” to peace and stability in the district. Authorities said preventive detention was necessary “in the interest of maintaining public order and safeguarding law and order in the region.”
The announcement triggered sharp reactions from political leaders. Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah described Malik’s detention as unjustified and harmful to democracy. “There is no justification for detaining Mehraj Malik under PSA. He’s not a threat to public safety, and using this discredited law against an elected representative is wrong. If the unelected government can take such action against an elected member, how can the people of J&K continue to trust democratic processes?” he said in a social media post.
Peoples Conference President Sajad Lone termed the move as stifling democracy. “We strongly condemn the use of the PSA against MLA Mehraj Malik. This undermines the people’s mandate and reduces their vote to a symbolic gesture,” he said. Lone warned that such measures weaken the credibility of democratic institutions and restrict elected representatives from voicing constituents’ concerns.
PDP leader Waheed Parra echoed the criticism, highlighting the potential misuse of draconian laws. “These provisions are being weaponized to suppress dissent and political debate. Such authoritarian measures do not resolve differences within a democracy,” Parra said.
Srinagar MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi emphasized that elected representatives should be held accountable through due process, not preventive detention. “The PSA is intended for exceptional security cases, but its misuse erodes public trust. Detaining Mehraj Malik for alleged misconduct is not justice; it is repression,” he said.
AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal also reacted, stressing that the detention could not intimidate party members. “Is it a serious offense to request a hospital for one’s constituency that an elected MLA is imprisoned? Jail, threats, or conspiracies will not deter any dedicated member of AAP,” he said.
National Conference legislator Salman Ali Sagar described the arrest as setting a “dangerous precedent,” terming it an attempt to stifle free speech and silence dissenting voices.
Senior Awami Ittehad Party leader Sheikh Khursheed, MLA from Langate, urged the Lieutenant Governor to review the decision and called for an all-party meeting to address the issue. “This decision is not just against Mehraj Malik, but against the people of Doda who elected him. Any alleged misconduct should be addressed through judicial or parliamentary channels, not through preventive laws,” he said.
“PSA against MLA violates the Constitution’s basic structure, amounts to its murder. It assaults the Constitution’s soul, democracy, rule of law, free speech, and liberty. In K.Bharti SC held Parliament cannot touch the basic structure,yet in BJP’s era, its violation is routine,” MLA Wagoora Kreeri Adv Irfan Hafez Lone.(KNS).
