J&K Citizens Launch Online Campaign Demanding Repeal of Public Safety Act in J&K

The Jammu & Kashmir Public Safety Act was enacted in the late seventies, primarily to stop timber smuggling in the late seventies. Over the years, the law has been horribly misused. Now, an online campaign is doing the rounds on Facebook, urging netizens to support the demand that the Act be repealed.

Called “Global Petition”, it appeals to J&K Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, to ‘pick up his pen and take immediate steps to stop police abuse’.

The petition invites you to ‘sign for the cause’ by entering your name and e-mail address. It calls on Omar to issue an administrative order directing that authorities must stop the practice of ‘revolving door detentions’, and not use the Act to repeatedly detain the same individual on similar grounds.

Interestingly, in December 2012, the Govt. had revealed that 46 people had been re-detained in 2011 and 2012 under the Act, after their detention had been quashed by the High Court.

The campaign also urges the Chief Minister to allow public access to PSA detention records maintained by the J&K Ministry of Home, especially to spouses and close family members and legal representatives assigned and agreed by detained persons.

It adds,

Beyond this, we call on you to use your powers to ensure that no one is detained under the PSA until it is repealed.

In the past, Amnesty International India has also called on the J&K Chief Minister to repeal the Public Safety Act.

The petition can be accessed here.