1309 detained under PSA in past 6 years: CM

The Jammu and Kashmir Government Tuesday informed the Legislative Council that 1309 persons were detained under Public Safety Act (PSA) in the State during the past six years.
The information was provided by Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, who is also Minister in-charge Home, in written reply to a question of PDP MLC Firdous Ahmad Tak. Mufti said that detention of 852 persons was quashed by the High Court.
The CM also said 37 persons are presently behind the bars under the law.
“As on March 20, 2015, only 37 persons are detained under PSA, out of which 17 are Indians and 20 foreigners,” the CM disclosed.
The Chief Minister refused to disclose identities of persons booked under the law during the past six years, saying, “It would not be proper to do so keeping in view their security and security of their families.”
The use of Public Safety Act, which allows ‘arbitrary’ detention, has come under sharp criticism from local and global rights groups.
In 2012, National Conference- Congress regime had amended the law and reduced detention period under it but the changes, according to legal experts, have failed to curb its arbitrary use.
In the amendments, the detention period was reduced from 2 years to six months in a case involving security of State and from one year to three months in a case of public disorder.
In 2011, Amnesty International termed PSA as a ‘lawless law’.
PSA was enacted in J&K in late 1970s and its first victim was the then president of Kashmir Motor Drivers Association (KMDA), Ghulam Nabi.