Four Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders on Monday approached the Srinagar Magistrate and sought a meeting with party president Mehbooba Mufti, who remains in detention since August 5 last year.
Senior PDP leaders and former legislators Ghulam Nabi Lone, A.R. Veeri, Khurshid Alam and Aijaz Mir approached Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, Shahid Iqbal Chowdhary, with a formal application to meet Ms. Mufti.
Legal rights
“Despite being detained under the draconian Public Safety Act at her residence Fairview [declared as a sub jail], Ms. Mufti has certain legal rights even as a political prisoner that cannot be violated or taken away. Apart from legal aid and adequate medical facilities, these also include visitations at least twice a week as per the Constitution,” the application said.
A PDP spokesman said no party member has been allowed to meet her since her “illegal incarceration”.
“The PDP chief and ex-CM has been jailed since August 2019 after the illegal abrogation of Article 370 and subsequent bifurcation of J&K into two UTs. Unfortunately, the administration has not allowed us to meet her despite repeated attempts,” the application said.
The spokesman said most of the PDP leaders “continue to be in illegal house arrest without any written legal orders”.
“One can’t stress enough the need to allow Ms. Mufti, a political leader, who is deliberately cut off from the public to meet her party members, well wishers, etc.,” the application said.
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