The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Friday revoked the Public Safety Act against former chief minister Farooq Abdullah, officials said. In an order, state Home Secretary Shaleen Kabra said the PSA invoked on Abdullah on September 17 and further extended on December 13, has been revoked. The order comes into force with immediate effect.
Dr Abdullah has been under detention since August 5 when the central government, amid communication blockade and clampdown, announced the end of special status to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 and split the state into two union territories.
Under the Public Safety Act, a person can be detained without trial and the detention can be extended upto two years.
On August 5, along with Dr Farooq Abdullah, his son and former chief minister Omar Abdullah, former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, whose Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was in an alliance with the BJP, and hundreds of political leaders were arrested.
Peoples Conference leader Sajad Lone, IAS officer-turned-politician Shah Faesal and several others have also been arrested under section 107 of the PSA. None of the political leaders have challenged their detention.
