AAP MLA’s detention, reservation policy rock J&K Assembly

The second business day of the ongoing Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly session on Monday witnessed heated exchanges as legislators debated the detention of Doda MLA Mehraj Malik under the Public Safety Act (PSA) and raised concerns over the reservation policy in the Union Territory.

As the House assembled for Zero Hour, National Conference (NC) MLA from Banihal, Sajad Shaheen, demanded a one-hour discussion on Malik’s detention, terming it “unconstitutional” and a “move to suppress his voice.” He urged the government to revoke the PSA invoked against the Aam Aadmi Party legislator and called upon the House to condemn the action, describing it as a “bad precedent.”

Shaheen’s remarks led to sharp exchanges between NC and BJP members. BJP MLA RS Pathania responded that the imposition of PSA was within the jurisdiction of the District Magistrate and subject to judicial review.

Intervening in the debate, NC MLA Nazir Ahmad Khan said, “If Malik had been involved in militancy, we will not stand with him, nor will he stand with us.” He, however, maintained that the issue was fit for discussion within the House. Reacting to the BJP’s contention that the matter was sub judice, Khan asserted that “the Assembly is supreme and any issue can be discussed here.”

PDP MLA Waheed Para also criticised Malik’s detention, calling it “an erosion of the institution of legislature” and “a wrong precedent” that undermined democratic values.

Apart from Malik’s detention, the reservation policy also figured prominently during Monday’s proceedings. Handwara MLA Sajad Lone said on X that his adjournment notice on the “rationalisation of reservations” had been disallowed by the Speaker, denying legislators an opportunity for debate.

The Speaker clarified that Assembly Rules permit adjournment motions only on matters of recent occurrence and not on issues currently pending adjudication before the courts.

Langate MLA Sheikh Khursheed also expressed concern that a private member’s resolution seeking rationalisation of the reservation policy had been disallowed by the Assembly.