JK Assembly Secretariat denies endorsing PSA against MLA Mehraj Malik

Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Secretariat on Monday denied endorsing the Public Safety Act against Doda MLA Mehraj Malik who has been detained under the stringent preventive detention law.

Malik, who is also the president of the J-K unit of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), was shifted to Kathua district jail on Monday evening.

"It has been highlighted/reported in some media reports, social media platforms, X (formerly Twitter) that the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly Secretariat has endorsed the slapping of provisions of Public Safety Act 1978 on Mehraj Malik, MLA, which is factually incorrect and baseless as the Secretariat has no role in it," the secretariat said in an official communique here.

However, it said the secretariat was under an obligation in terms of Rule 260 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Jammu and Kashmir Assembly to inform all MLAs about the Malik's detention.

It clarified that Rule 260 reads: "As soon as may be, the Speaker shall, after he has received a communication referred to in Rule 258 or Rule 259, read it out in the House, if in session or if the House is not in session direct, that it may be published in the bulletin for the information of the members."