The opening day of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Thursday witnessed a brief uproar after National Conference (NC) members Tanvir Sadiq and Hilal Akbar Lone urged the Speaker to allow a discussion on the continued detention of Doda legislator Mehraj Malik.
The lawmakers sought the Chair’s consent to raise the matter, stating that Malik’s incarceration under the Public Safety Act (PSA) deprived his constituents of representation in the House.
“An elected representative must be present in the Assembly to voice the concerns of his people,” they insisted.
Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather, however, declined the request, saying the day’s proceedings were reserved for obituary references to late members and other notable figures.
He advised the legislators to bring up the issue at a more suitable time during the ongoing session.(KNS).
