Assembly Secretariat Not Consulted on Mehraj Malik’s PSA Order: Speaker

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather on Tuesday clarified that the Assembly Secretariat was neither consulted nor required to grant approval for the detention of Doda MLA Mehraj Malik under the Public Safety Act (PSA).

Rather said his role was limited to being informed of such developments, in line with Assembly procedures. “The rules governing the House clearly state that the Speaker’s responsibility is only to communicate such developments to members. In this case, I was informed about Mehraj’s detention and relayed the information to the legislators. There was no consultation, nor was my approval required for the order issued by the District Commissioner,” he said.

The Speaker stressed that the legality of Malik’s arrest lies within the judiciary’s domain. “It is for the courts to determine whether any procedural lapse or wrongdoing has occurred. The Assembly’s role does not extend beyond being apprised of the situation,” he added.

Malik, a sitting MLA from Doda district, was recently detained under the PSA, which permits preventive detention without trial for up to two years. His detention has sparked political controversy, with several parties condemning the move as an attack on democratic norms and warning it could set a precedent undermining the rights and representation of elected officials.

Rather reiterated that the Assembly Secretariat should not be drawn into the political row. “The House Secretariat’s role is limited to information-sharing. Any allegations or concerns must be addressed through proper judicial channels,” he said.