Uproar in J&K Assembly over RS cross-voting, MLA’s detention

Srinagar, Oct 27 The issue of alleged cross-voting during the recent Rajya Sabha elections and the detention of Doda MLA, Mehraj Malik, caused uproar in the J&K Assembly on Monday with the ruling National Conference (NC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs accusing each other.

The issue of cross-voting in the Rajya Sabha elections came up during the question hour in the J&K Assembly. Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary accused the BJP of ‘stealing’ four votes in the recent Rajya Sabha elections.

“Yesterday, you stole four votes. If I start speaking, no one will remain seated here. Let us allow a secret to remain a secret,” the Deputy Chief Minister said.

His remarks sparked a heated exchange between the two sides, with NC legislators retaliating by calling BJP members “vote chor” (vote stealers).

Amid the slogans and counter-slogans, Peoples Conference president and MLA, Sajad Gani Lone, accused both NC and BJP of collusion. “It was match-fixing,” Sajad alleged.

During the question hour, the detention of MLA Doda, Mehraj Malik, under the Public Safety Act (PSA) triggered heated exchanges among legislators.

The issue was raised on the second day of the autumn session, after the first day had been reserved for obituary references.

MLA Sajjad Shaheen of NC called for a one-hour discussion on Malik’s “unjustified” detention, with several members joining him in demanding the immediate revocation of the PSA order.

NC MLA Nazir Ahmad Khan argued that the Assembly’s authority is supreme, even above the courts, and insisted that the House must deliberate on the reasons behind Malik’s detention.

The BJP MLAs, however, objected to the demand, arguing that the issue was sub judice and therefore not appropriate for discussion in the House.

Some BJP members also accused ruling party members of attempting to politicise a legal matter.

“Such issues should not be brought to the floor when due process of law is already underway,” BJP legislators said.

The exchange led to a brief commotion before the Speaker intervened and assured that all members would be allowed to raise matters of public importance as per the rules of procedure.

Several legislators, including those from the PDP and NC, supported Shaheen’s demand, describing Mehraj Malik’s detention as unjustified and politically motivated.

The issue, they said, symbolised a larger pattern of preventive detentions being used to suppress dissenting voices in the J&K.

--IANS

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