No immediate relief for detained AAP MLA on plea to attend J&K Assembly session

An application of detained Aam Aadmi Party MLA Mehraj Malik seeking permission to participate in the ongoing assembly session was adjourned on Monday by the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh till October 30, a day before the autumn session is scheduled to end.

The lawyers of Malik, the president of the J-K unit of AAP who was detained under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) on September 8 and is presently lodged in Kathua jail, had sought an urgent hearing.

Justice Mohd Yusuf Wani heard the application filed by Malik for permission to participate in the ongoing assembly session in Srinagar, a spokesperson of the AAP said.

The nine-day autumn session of the J-K assembly, which started on October 23, is scheduled to end on October 31 (Friday).

“Senior advocate Rahul Pant, with advocates SS Ahmed, Appu Singh Slathia and M Zulkarnain Chowdhary, emphatically put forth that the application is required to be considered today itself due to the urgency involved in the matter,” he said, Senior Additional Advocate General Monika Kohli and senior advocate Sunil Sethi appeared for the government and apprised the court that they have filed the reply to the application.

After considering the submissions made by both parties, the court adjourned the matter till October 30. The main matter related to the detention of the legislator under the PSA is listed on November 7.

The J&K Assembly on Monday witnessed heated exchanges over the issue.