Ahead of Budgam bypoll, Public Safety Act dominates discourse

AS Budgam gears up for the Assembly bypoll next week, the Public Safety Act (PSA) has once again emerged as a central political issue, with major parties in Jammu and Kashmir trading barbs and promising reforms over the controversial law.

Voting for the Budgam Assembly Constituency (AC) is scheduled for November 11. The seat had fallen vacant after Omar Abdullah, who won from both Budgam and Ganderbal in the last election, chose to retain the latter.

With campaign momentum building, political parties are now invoking the PSA — long criticised for its alleged misuse — as part of their outreach to voters.

AAP calls for repeal of PSA

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), contesting from Budgam, has made the repeal of the Public Safety Act a central theme of its campaign.

“Beyond our manifesto, we are raising the issue of the Public Safety Act, which must be repealed from Jammu and Kashmir. Many youngsters remain detained under this draconian law, and now even elected representatives are being booked under it,” said Muddasir Hasaan, AAP spokesperson in Jammu and Kashmir.

He added that the party was highlighting the issue both in Budgam and Nagrota constituencies.

NC targets PDP over past detentions

The ruling National Conference (NC) has also raised the PSA issue — this time to corner rival Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

At a recent rally in Budgam, JKNC chief spokesperson and MLA Tanvir Sadiq accused PDP president and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti of “hypocrisy” over the law’s use.

“It was during Mehbooba Mufti’s tenure from April 2017 to August 2018 that 1,004 Kashmiri youth were slapped with the Public Safety Act,” Sadiq said.

“And today, the same Mehbooba Mufti is approaching the court seeking the shifting of Kashmiri prisoners back to the Valley. This is what we call dirty politics,” he added.

Mufti’s PIL on prisoners’ transfer

The remarks come days after Mehbooba Mufti appeared before the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court in connection with a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) she filed, seeking the transfer of all undertrial prisoners lodged in jails outside the Union Territory back to J&K.

People’s Conference joins chorus

The Jammu and Kashmir People’s Conference (JKPC) too weighed in on the PSA debate.

“In 2017, the PDP government brought the J&K Public Property (Prevention of Damage) Amendment Ordinance, combining PSA with new laws to jail youth for years and impose heavy fines,” said Sheikh Mohammad Imran, JKPC State Secretary (Organisation).

“Whenever one was about to be released, a fresh PSA was slapped. How much more cruelty will you inflict? How long will Kashmiris endure this injustice?” the People’s Conference leader asked.

As Budgam heads into the by-poll, the renewed focus on the Public Safety Act signals how the contentious law continues to shape Jammu and Kashmir’s political and electoral narrative — decades after it was first enacted.