Final Hearing Set for Mehraj Malik’s Plea in Jammu Kashmir HC

SRINAGAR: A habeas corpus petition filed by detained Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Mehraj Malik has been listed for final hearing before the Jammu and Kashmir High Court on November 20, according to ETV Bharat. Malik, the AAP legislator from Doda, was detained under the Public Safety Act (PSA) in September and is currently lodged in Kathua district jail.

His detention sparked several debates in the recently concluded assembly session and among opposition leaders over the legality of his arrest and possible misuse of preventive detention laws.

The petition, which challenges the grounds and procedure of Malik’s detention, was heard on Friday by Justice Rajneesh Oswal, who fixed November 20 as the date for the final hearing. Advocates for Malik argue that his continued incarceration is unconstitutional and undermines the institution of elected representatives, a point raised emphatically by National Conference MLA Sajad Shaheen and others during recent assembly sessions.

Opposition parties, including the PDP and Awami Ittehad Party, have demanded the revocation of Malik’s detention and called on the Speaker to discuss the issue, insisting that the PSA has been invoked arbitrarily and that the assembly should form a committee to examine the facts of the case.

BJP legislators, while contesting these claims, have maintained that the matter is sub-judice and cannot be discussed before the court. The controversy led to repeated disruptions in the assembly, with MLAs from both the ruling and opposition alliances expressing concern that the case sets a precedent for silencing lawmakers and eroding parliamentary norms.

The November 20 hearing is expected to involve detailed judicial scrutiny of the grounds for Malik’s detention and procedural fairness.