J&K Asembly Speaker says detained MLA Malik can attend session if court or govt permits

Srinagar, Oct 3 J&K Assembly Speaker, Abdul Rahim Rather, said on Friday that it would be a welcome step if incarcerated Doda MLA Mehraj Malik attends the upcoming session, but clarified that the decision lies with the court or the government.

Rather said Malik would need to seek permission through legal channels.

"He needs to approach the court, or if the government allows him, he should attend. It depends on whether the government or the court permits him," he said.

On the issue of PDP legislator Waheed Parra, Rather confirmed that the show-cause notice issued against him is still under examination.

"Parra has submitted his reply, and the matter is under consideration," he said.

The Speaker added that Parra had earlier spread misinformation claiming that the Assembly Secretariat had approved the Public Safety Act (PSA) against the Doda legislator, which, he clarified, was incorrect.

"The Secretariat does not have such powers. PSA is imposed by the District Magistrate," Rather asserted.

The Speaker said that the upcoming session of the J&K Assembly summoned by the Lt Governor on October 23 will be short and that a provisional calendar will be issued soon.

Doda MLA Malik was detained under the PSA, which allows the detention of a person for a maximum period of two years without any judicial intervention, by the District Magistrate declaring his activities as detrimental to peace and order in the district.

Malik won the 2024 Assembly election from Doda as an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate, becoming the party's only representative in the 90-member Assembly.

He initially supported the Omar Abdullah-headed National Conference government, but later withdrew his support, alleging that it had failed in fulfilling the promises made to the voters.

The J&K Assembly has 47 candidates from the Kashmir Valley and 43 from the Jammu division.

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